Our Lives, Victorious
by emeralddusk
Summary: These are our times; Our struggles. Destinies beginning. Please read and review
1. Origin: Jade

**I'd like to thank omggcece, who inspired me to write this, with her story "ignorance is your new best friend".**

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter One: Blackout

"Dad!" the girl screamed, her young eyes welling up with burning hot tears. It was so devastating, so horrifying. The man never stopped throwing punches at Jade's father, forcing his hard, bony knuckles colliding his with warm, loving face. Blood splattered out of Mr. West's nose as his head was thrown back by a mercilessly fast snap of his opponent's fist. "Daddy! Daddy, please! Stop the fight!"

But no one listened. Jade's father was knocked back into the rope, his head down, staring down at the blue mat. His neck was barely able to support the weight anymore, and he watched drop after drop of blood fall from his burning nostrils. Feeling the cold sweat on his hot, throbbing forehead, the man looked up at the other boxer, his expression furious. Relentlessly, the other man charged forward, and repeatedly threw his fists into Jade's dad's stomach and chest. Every blow felt like the hot embrace of a bullet on Mr. West's body.

"Alright! Break it up! Break it up!" the referee screamed, trying to force the two apart. Growing violent, the man with the black and white-striped shirt threw the attacker off of Jade's father, cussing and throwing his hands up and down.

Thousands of people cheered and hollered obscene comments. Pictures flashed without mercy, and the very building seemed to tremble.

The bell for the next round rang almost immediately after the two were split up. Still weak and struggling to walk straight, Mr. West advanced forward, covering his face with his fists. The other boxer quickly assaulted him with jabs and hooks until he was on the ground. Several people could hear the bones pop inside both of the men's bodies as arms snapped straight and collisions were made on Jade's father's body.

"Dad!" Jade screamed, growing frantic.

The punches kept coming, growing more vicious with every second. Blood splashed out of Mr. West's nose and mouth. "Stop it! Enough, damn it!" the referee yelled, running towards the two. One of his eyes extremely dark, Mr. West tried to look at what was going on, seeing only a bright blurr above him. Sounds faded into one another. Dad! Daddy, please! Daddy! Things started to get dark. "Baby," the man whispered, trying to take his little girl's hand. However, she was too far away. A naive smile formed on Mr. West's face, his eyes barely open, then, he fell on his back, and stopped moving.

"Daddy!" Jade hollered, her throat throbbing, her mother's arms keeping her from jumping into the ring to help her beloved father.

"Honey, honey," Jade's mother replied, trying with all her might to restrain her daughter. It was all such a nightmare.

That was the last time I'd ever seen my father. That was twelve years ago, but I remember it all so completely...so unbearably, agonizingly clear. Life changed after that. It felt like everything shattered around me in that instant...

"Jade, you're not going out like that," Marilyn West scolded her daughter.

"I didn't ask you," the seventeen-year-old replied, her voice cold and laced with anger. Her hair was long and dark, her face pale and Gothic-influenced. With that, Jade went out the door of her home, proceeding without ambition towards her school.

A summary of Jadeyn West's life could be made in three words: I don't care. Emotions were scarce and hidden. It was the only way that really made sense. Who cared anyway? She wasn't the top of anyone's priority list. Outside, it was cold, and the wind was chilling and indifferent. Jade's hair blew gently in the breeze, but she ignored it.

I wonder what's been going on with Cat, the girl said in her mind. She always has something simple and sweet on her mind. Catarina Valentine was Jade's closest, and one of her only friends, though the two were different in so many ways; Cat was constantly happy and upbeat. Her mind was youthful and innocent. Jade was depressing and dark. Her mind was complex and untrusting of others. Maybe ignorance was bliss for Cat. Pulling her cell phone out of her purse, the girl dialed Cat's speed-dial number, and listened for the electronic ringing.

"Hello?" Cat answered, her voice upbeat and pleasant as ever.

"Hey, Cat, it's Jade," the dark-haired girl greeted.

"Oh, hey, Jade," the brunette replied. "What's up?"

"Not much," Jade answered, her voice growing upbeat. "Hey, you wanna have lunch off-campus today?"

"Sure. Sounds fun," Cat replied, growing excited. "Thanks, Jade. See you in a few minutes."

"Bye, Cat," the dark-haired girl said, a smile on her face. "See you soon." The teenager hung up her phone, then slid it into her purse. It was stupid; calling her friend minutes before getting to Hollywood Arts, where both of them attended school and had almost every class together. Who cares? That's right; no one. Cat was one of the only bright parts of Jade's life, and there was nothing to be ashamed of.


	2. Origin: Cat

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Two: Flooding with Dreams

_My name is Catarina Valentine, but everybody calls me Cat. Cats are my favorite animals since they're so sweet and cute and cuddly. _

_ The world might be a bad place, but I don't have to act like it. Things can be happy if you make them that way. Besides, there's more good things than bad to focus on._

The brunette sixteen-year-old stood atop a foot stool, hanging up bright, multi-colored streamers on the pink-wallpapered walls of her bedroom. Outside her window, Cat could see the waves gently splashing near the shore. Above the water, the sun was illuminating the bright blue sky. _I'm lucky to be living in Hollywood, _the girl thought to herself with a smile.

"Cat, get down here," Catarina's mother called, her voice a combination of sweet and commanding, as usual.

"Coming, Mommy," the brunette called back, happily. Tacking up one last shining red streamer, Cat jumped onto the floor, and frolicked down the stairs and into the living room.

"Hey, Kitty," the woman greeted her daughter, embracing her warmly. Like her daughter, Danielle Valentine had long brown hair, and the same warm eyes. She was slightly overweight and extremely stressed. "You remember how I had to work on your birthday this summer?"

"Mom, it wasn't a big deal," Catarina replied, not wanting her mother to feel guilty.

"Well, it's a big deal to me," Mrs. Valentine responded. "So, grab your coat. We're going out tonight."

Cat's face lit up with an optimistic smile. "Thanks, Mommy," she said, giving her mother a hug. "You're the best." The girl skipped into the kitchen, where her coat was hung up. _I love birthdays, _she thought. _Mom's so nice. She works hard, but she always finds time for me._

Danielle had been under a lot of pressure since her abusive, alcoholic husband left her and her daughter. Cat was the light of her life, and she never wanted that to change. Maybe that was why the girl never really acted like a teenager. Maybe not.

The sun started to set, painting the darkening sky crimson and dark yellow. Being a Tuesday and a school night going out was an extremely unusual occurrence for the Valentines. That didn't matter, though. As her red car drove down the quiet but occupied highway, Danielle looked over at her daughter. "Did you have a nice day today?" she asked.

"Yeah, school was nice," Cat answered. "We had this really funny acting practice today, and I was in a group with Trina and Jade. Trina is a drama queen, and she usually overacts on her lines, but she's nice, and cool to hang out with."

"Sounds nice," Danielle replied. "I'm glad you're having a good year. You're a sweet girl, and everyone should see that."

"Ah, thanks, Mommy," Cat said, flattered. "You're sweet too. I wish things were going better at your job."

"Don't worry about it, Kitty," Mrs. Valentine responded, her voice growing warm. "Hey, for desert tonight, how 'bout I get you one of those red velvet cupcakes I know you love?"

Catarina felt her eyes well up with overjoyed tears. "Mommy," she began to say, her voice growing high-pitched. "You remembered. I was eight, and you didn't have time to bake a cake for my birthday...so you made a batch of cupcakes, and I caught you, and helped you bake them."

"And you added an entire container of red dye to the mixture," Danielle continued. "And I made my first red velvet cupcakes...with my wonderful daughter."

"Thanks, Mommy," Catarina whispered, looking at her mother with loving eyes. Danielle put her arm around her daughter's shoulder.


	3. Tori Vega: If I Rise

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Three: If I Rise

_Wednesday. November 2nd, 2011._

A tall, thin, seventeen-year-old girl with long, light brown hair sat on the couch in her living room. Time had been passing by slowly for the last few days, or maybe it was weeks. _Music isn't always enough to move me, _Tori confessed to herself. _I'm bored, I guess. There's nothing to fight for. No friends to talk to... just sitting around...waiting._

Katrina, Tori's eighteen-year-old sister, who stood about the same height as she did, had long, dark-brown hair, and a slightly chubby face, opened the door, and entered the house, having returned from Hollywood Arts. "Hey, Tori, some of the kids from school are coming over to practice parts from our play," the girl said, barely taking a second to breathe.

"...So, how was your day?" Tori replied, trying to tactfully inform her sister of her rudeness.

"Hey, can you maybe help me move the couches and stuff?" Katrina asked, not seeming to notice what Tori just said. "There's a lot of dancing in this scene."

"Sure," Victoria answered, standing up, and pressing against the contemporary red-fabric couch. "So, uh, who's coming today?"

"Um, Jade," Katrina began, pushing a chair over against the left-side wall. "That preppy girl...uh, Kitty, or..."

"Cat," Tori corrected. "Cat Valentine, right?"

"Yeah," Trina replied, crouching down to push the other couch. "And, uh, Andre'."

"What's this play called again?" Tori asked.

"It's called Sunrise," Katrina answered, not showing much enthusiasm. "Opening night is this Friday."

There was a knock on the door, interrupting the sister's conversation. "Katrina," a familiar voice called from outside. "It's Cat."

"Come in," Trina called. With that, the door opened, and Cat, Jade, and Andre' walked in.

"Hey, Tori," Andre' greeted. The African-American seventeen-year-old had somewhat long hair, which he often had in a dread-lock-like style. Andre' Harris was an extremely talented composer, a fair singer, and endlessly supportive to his friends.

"Hey, Andre'," Tori replied. "Cat. Jade."

"Hi, Tori," Cat greeted, running over to the girl. "Do you wanna watch our practice?"

"Um, Cat," Jade began. "I don't know if that's..."

"It might be good to work with an audience," Andre' interrupted, trying to make Tori feel welcome. "If you feel like it."

"Sure," the brunette answered, partially because she was interested, and partially to tick Jade off. "Thanks, guys." With that, Tori took a seat in one of the couches she pushed against the wall.

"Great," Jade quietly snarled.

"Alright, let's start with act three," Katrina called, standing in the middle of the room. "When Beth makes her most passionate performance at the club." Anyone could tell this was just an excuse for Trina to show off, one of her favorite things to do. Throwing her arms in the air dramatically, the girl looked upward, and began singing in soprano; "Can you feel it in the air? Can you let in the wind?"

"I never learned how to take life by the horns," Jade sang, using a light tone that was so much sweeter than the way she spoke.

"If I could start over one more time..." Catarina joined in, her voice in soprano. "I'd let love inside my heart...I'd let you call me friend."

1"Oh, no. Oh, no," Andre' vocalized, his eyes closed. The teenager's voice flowed so naturally with the rhythem of the song, though no music was playing. "There's never enough time."

Tori sat back, admiring the others' talents. They were so impressive. So powerful and graceful.

"Okay, that's enough," Katrina said as she completed the scene. "Good job, guys. Oh, I'm starving."

"I think there's some leftover Thai food in the fridge," Tori replied, pointing towards the kitchen.

"Thanks," Katrina said, walking towards the kitchen section of the room.

"You guys want anything?" Tori offered, knowing her sister wouldn't think to be polite.

"No, thanks," Andre' and Cat answered, their voices grateful. Jade, on the other hand, didn't respond at all, and kept staring into space with an angry look on her face.

Katrina pulled a white box of Thai takeout out of the refrigerator, opened its top, then took a pair of chopsticks out of the silverware shelf. Turning away from the others out of self-consciousness, the girl began eating the spicy foreign foods.

"I need to get going pretty soon," Jade said, her tone light and somewhat hoarse.

"How come, Jade?" Cat innocently replied, not catching her friend's intentions.

"I...have some paperwork to do," Jade lied, not willing to be ruthless to Tori at this point. "Sickowitz is on the rampage again."

"Hey, Cat," Tori said, swallowing her frustration towards Jade. "What's your character's name in this musical?"

"Oh, it's Caroline," the girl answered. "She's an upcoming ballerina who's living in New York until..."

"Hey, uh, Tori," Katrina said. "Sorry, Cat...is, uh...this chicken supposed to taste tart?"

"No, why?" Tori answered, somewhat nervous. "Does it look like it expired?"

Katrina felt like her stomach was tilted. "Oh," she moaned, her eyes closed tightly. "...I think I'm gonna..." Stumbling, the girl went up the stairs, desperately trying to make it to the bathroom.

"This isn't good," Andre' declared. "Is she gonna be alright?"

"I don't know," Tori replied. "Trina's always had a sensitive stomach. The last time she had food poisoning, she was out for about a week."

"Well, now what?" Jade demanded, obviously upset and angry. "There's no one lined up to be her understudy."

"Your concern's touching," Andre' replied. "Tori, do you know any of Trina's lines?"

"Some of 'em," Tori answered, hoping to avoid what she knew was coming. "But I really can't sing or dance all that well."

"Can you please try?" Cat asked, her voice sweet and her hands folded.

"...O-okay," Tori reluctantly agreed. "Do you have any sheet music?" Andre' handed the girl a sheet of paper with the lyrics for Trina's big number. Looking over the words for a minute, Tori nervously cleared her throat two times, then put her voice in soprano. "Can you f-feel it in the air? Can you let in the w-w-wind?"

Everyone could see that the teenager was struggling just to get her words straight. Jade clenched her face into a scowl. "What was that?" she snarled, standing up, and menacingly walking towards Tori.

"What was what?" Tori snapped back, her voice laced with anger.

"You sounded like Porky Pig up there," Jade answered, growing more furious by the second. "Is this some kind of joke to you?"

"I can't help it," Tori snarled through her teeth. "I told you guys I can't sing." Feeling angry and embarrassed, the girl snapped her head away from her sister's classmates, and charged up the stairs.

"Nice going, Jade," Andre' snapped, getting out of the chair. "What is wrong with you anyway? She was just trying to help."

"I really don't need this from you," Jade angrily shot back, an icy rage present in her voice.

"Stop it!" Cat yelled as she shot up from the couch, no longer able to take the tension and the horrible words being exchanged. "Stop it! Why do you guys have to fight?" The brown-haired girl dropped back onto the red cushioned couch, and covered her eyes as they welled up with tears.

Feeling guilty for upsetting their friend, Andre' and Jade halted their argument. "Cat, we're sorry," Jade said, her voice returning to normal as she sat down beside her friend.

"Yeah, we're just upset," Andre' added, taking a seat to the left of Catarina. "But it's okay. We'll get over it."

"Why did you have to be so mean to Tori?" Cat asked, looking at Jade.

"I...I don't know," the dark-haired girl said, feeling weakness. For once, Jade didn't have an excuse. Her actions had no reasoning behind them, not that they ever really did.

"Could you please apologize to her?" Cat begged, barely able to keep her voice steady. "She seems really upset."

"...Okay," Jade surrendered, getting up. "Just promise you'll stop crying."

"Alright," agreed the girl, wiping away her final tears. "Thanks, Jade."

The dark-haired girl walked up the stairs, reluctant and angry. _Looks like I have to apologize to Miss Drama Queen, _Jade thought. _What a little baby._ Finding a shut door, the teenager knocked on it. "Tori," she called, trying to seem ambitious. "Tori, are you in there?"

"Go away," Tori's muffled voice called back.

"I'm sorry," Jade called again. "Look, can you just come downstairs?"

"No," Tori answered. "Tell Cat and Andre' I'm sorry."

"What's with that stuttering thing anyway?" Jade persisted. "...I noticed you have a good voice...before you went all Bob Bergen on us."

"...What?" Tori called back.

"He's the newest voice of Porky...forget it," Jade replied. "Something my sister told me. Look, I'm really sorry. Please. We can help you with this."

"I don't want your help," the brunette called back, her voice growing angry. "Just leave me alone."

"I'm not going," Jade shot back. "This is really important to all of us. Look, your sister's probably dying, Cat's a mess, and we've all worked our butts off for this musical. Will you please help us?"

"...I don't want to hear one joke about the way I sing," Tori finally said.

Jade felt relief and victory inside. "...No problem," she said, trying to force down the smile creeping onto her face. "Come on."

After wiping away her tears and fixing her makeup, Tori left her room and returned to the living room. "Hey," she said, sounding humble.

"Hey," Andre' said as he stood up. "Hey Tori," Cat added, excitedly getting up.

"Still need an understudy for Trina?" the brunette asked.

"You'll do it?" Catarina shrieked, overjoyed. "Thanks, Tori." The teenager ran over and hugged the brunette.

"Is Trina okay?" Tori asked, not intending to drop the subject of the musical.

"Yeah, she's fine," Andre' answered. "I don't think she'll be up to performing for awhile. Um, we can help you with that stuttering problem."

"Thanks, guys," Tori replied. "...You too, Jade."

To Be Continued...

_1. "Oh no. Oh no" is similar to the beginning of Elton John's Circle of Life._


	4. The Queen's Speech

**Inspired by the soon-to-be Oscar-winning film, The King's Speech**

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Four: The Queen's Speech

_Wednesday. November 2nd, 2011. 9:30 PM..._

Outside, the sky was dark, and the sense of desperation filled the air. Cat was half-asleep on the couch, trying with all her might to stay awake and help her soon-to-be friend. Andre' sat in a chair that had been moved next to the raised section of the room, which held the Vega's frequently-played piano. Tori stood just in front of him, her throat growing extremely sore.

"One more time," Andre' said, his voice hoarse and showing his exhaustion. "From the top."

Tori nodded, then cleared her throat. "Can you feel it in the air? Can you l-let in the wind?"

"Stop," Jade instructed, throwing her right hand on the arm of the white couch. "Look. I need you to focus." The girl crouched down next to her struggling co-star. "You're not stuttering when you're talking...why can't you _sing_ like that too?"

"I don't know," Tori responded. "I've just...I've never been able to sing right since I was, like, five."

"What happened when you were five?" Andre' asked, leaning forward.

"I don't know," Tori answered.

"Try to think, Tori," Jade replied. "People don't just stutter when they sing...now what is it? You're not left-handed, you don't have any throat problems."

Tori sat down on the couch, closed her eyes, and tried to focus. "I know I used to love singing when I was little," she began. "I still do, but the stuttering got really embarrassing. I remember, one time at school, I was sitting on the playground, singing the theme from Full House, and some boy pushed me."

"That happened to me once," Cat blurted out. "Only I was singing something from Titanic."

"Uh...I don't think that's what caused it," Andre' said, trying to focus on Tori. "Was there anything else? Were you ever yelled at for singing?"

"...No, I don't think so," Tori started. "...Except for Trina...She used to hate when I'd sing. She was always the little super star in the family."

"She made you stop singing?" Andre' asked, growing intrigued.

"No," Tori answered. "She just whined...My parents always thought I was picking on her, then they'd send me to my room."

"Did you ever put the two together?" Andre' asked. "You know, singing and getting punished?"

"More like singing and making my sister cry," Tori replied. "I used to feel so guilty."

"So what'd you do?" Jade inquired. "Did you stop singing? Start stuttering as a joke?"

"No," Tori answered. "I...started hiding from her, I guess. Then...when I _would_ sing, I'd get nervous of her finding me, crying, then running to Mom and Dad."

"So, singing started becoming the source of the tension?" Andre' asked, growing excited over finding a conclusion.

"...I think so," Tori said. "I guess I still feel like I'm gonna get in trouble for singing."

"You know that's not true," Cat declared. "Trina was just...being jealous."

"Maybe she still is," Tori replied, growing depressed.

"Too bad," Jade declared, growing angry. "She has to learn how to grow up. You shouldn't feel guilty about singing. She's the guilty one."

"It's okay, Tori," Andre' summarized. "You're not hurting anyone."

"Do you think you can sing now?" Cat asked, her voice sweet.

"I think so," Tori answered. "I feel better." The teenager cleared her throat. "Can you feel it in the air?" she sang. "Can y-you l-let in the w-wind?" The pain of failure made the stuttering all the worse.

"...What the heck?" Jade demanded. "Why are you still stuttering?"

"I don't know!" Tori hollered, feeling a painful lump form in her throat. "What's wrong with me?"

"Maybe you just need to practice for awhile," Andre' suggested, trying to give his friend some comfort. "Try harmonizing for a little while."

The brunette nodded, then began belting out some light cords. Jade fell backwards on the couch, clenching her throbbing forehead. Andre' and Cat closed their eyes, and listened closely. At one point, Tori's voice broke up slightly, as if she was suffering from laryngitis.

"Hang on," Andre' interrupted. "Did you notice that?"

"What?" Tori asked.

"You, like, stuttered while you were vocalizing," Andre' informed her. "Are you sure you don't have any kind of throat issues?"

"Positive," Tori answered, feeling her face grow hot as her sorrow welled up. "What is wrong with me?"

"Look, it's getting really late," Jade said, getting up off the couch. "Let's practice more tomorrow after school. We have to get this worked out by Friday." The girl realized how impossible the situation was. _Problems like this take years to solve, _she thought. _We have to find someone else to fill in for Trina._

"Sorry, Tori," Andre' said, gathering his book bag. "I promise we'll help you with this." The teenager left the Vega's home, feeling like he failed.

"Do you want me to stay a little longer?" Cat asked.

"No, Cat, that's okay," Tori answered. "Thanks, though." The girl wrapped her arms around her new friend.

"See you tomorrow," Cat said, her voice sad. With that, the brunette departed.

Once the door was closed behind Cat, Tori walked upstairs, and entered the bathroom. Trina's head was in the toilet, and she was still vomiting violently. The girl knelt down beside her older sister, and began to lovingly stroke her back. Katrina jolted, then loudly threw up.

Her body weak and trembling, Trina let out a moan, and pulled herself out of the toilet. "Hey," she croaked. "What time is it?"

"About ten," Tori answered. "You feeling any better?"

"I guess," Katrina replied. Now that her system was empty, the teenager felt like the worst was over. ""Oh, are they gonna replace me in the musical?"

"Yeah," Tori answered, her voice sympathetic. "T-...they want me to take your place."

Feeling a flash of rage, Katrina sprung up, then stumbled slightly. "You?" she demanded. "W-why?"

"Cuz I know most of the parts," Tori answered. "What's your problem?"

"This was supposed to be my big break!" Trina yelled. "You can't even sing!"

Tori gazed at her sister with disgust. "Yeah, you made sure of that," she snarled, before departing to her bedroom.

Her stomach flipping and filling with guilt and anger, Katrina put her head back in the toilet, and began violently vomiting once again.

Come eleven p.m., Tori was laying on her bed, her eyes drenched in her dried tears. _This is all so horrible,_ she thought. _Maybe this whole thing was a mistake. _Soon, the teenager's mind drifted into unconsciousness. _"Hey T-T-Tori," a young Trina mockingly sang. The surrounding area was so dark. Tori saw her younger self crying. Her own whales of sorrow echoed throughout the girl's mind._

With a flash, Tori woke up, coated in cold sweat. Looking at the clock, the girl saw it was midnight, which seemed to make no sense. Distressed and upset, the girl rolled over, her eyes glazed over with tears, and tried to control her sobs. All the terrible things from her childhood were attacking her mind.

"Tori," Katrina gently called, half-hidden behind the door frame. "Tori, are you okay?" Trina's voice was still weak from her food poisoning.

"I'm fine," Tori answered, still somewhat annoyed with her sister's cruel comments. "Um...can you sit down for a second?"

Trina walked over to Tori's bed, her legs still weak, then sat down beside her. "What's up?" she asked.

"...Why did you say that to me today?" Tori asked, her voice just above a whisper. "About my singing? You never liked it when I sang."

"...Tori, I'm sorry," Katrina replied, her voice hinted with sorrow. "I just...I was upset. I...it's just, you've always been a great singer. I was always afraid you'd be better than me. I was a jerk...if I can't do this, you should."

"But I can't sing," Tori argued, feeling desperation well up inside of her. "I'm always gonna be T-T-Tori." Even now, those words burned.

For a second, the room was silent. "...Tori, I am sorry," Trina confessed, feeling a lump swell up in her throat. "I never should've made fun of you."

"...It's okay," Tori replied, feeling relieved. "You know...this is one of the first times you've ever apologized to me." The girl wrapped her arms around Katrina, trying to hold back her tears.

Katrina didn't say anything, not that she had to. Tori's eyes were closed, but her sister's were wide open. Not everything was sound, but Tori didn't have to know that.

"Now get some sleep," Trina said, pulling away from her sister. "You have a musical to practice for."

"Thanks, Trina," the brunette said, her voice soft and peaceful. Clearing her throat, Tori lightly sang, "Can you feel it in the air? Can you let in the wind?" A gigantic, overjoyed smile shot onto Tori's face, and she gave her sister a big, loving hug.

"Way tuh go, little sis," Katrina whispered, her eyes closed and a smile on her face.

Come Friday night, Hollywood Arts was filled to the brim with excited parents and teenagers. Glancing out, Andre' spotted his grandmother, and a girl who may have been Jade's sister.

"Ready for your big number, Tori?" Cat asked, her voice soft.

"No," Tori answered. "...I don't think I can do this."

"You'll be fine," Andre' replied, walking back from the curtains. "We've been practicing for two days. Your stutter is gone...you'll be fine."

"But..." Tori began, her voice starting to tremble. "...What if I can't do it?...What if they hate me?"

"Yeah, what if?" Jade replied, her voice cold. "Look, we spent hours working on this. You're not gonna blow it."

Tori looked at the girl, then nodded. Clad in a shining silver and black dress, Victoria Vega prepared herself, even as her stomach floated with butterflies. The audience clapped, meaning the scene was over with, and Tori's time was coming.

"Good luck, Tori," Cat said, wrapping her hands around her friend.

"Thanks, Cat," Tori replied. The girl walked onto the stage, shielded by the large red curtains. Suddenly, the velvet barrier lifted up, and everyone in the auditorium had their eyes on Tori.

One of the pianists began to play. The music was slow, soft. "Can you feel it in the air?" Tori sang, her voice so soft she could barely hear herself. "...Can you let in the wind?" In that instant, the music began to flow through her. It was like electricity in its purist form. Several revisions had been made, allowing Tori an entire solo performance. "I never knew how to live...Holding life by the horns." The music swelled, and the audience cheered. "But now I'm baaaack again! I am standing here with my friends and now...I feel like I'm living in a whole new life. It might be a victory...But I'm leaving nothing behind! No matter how many roads I go down...no matter how far I run...I'll still have a part of you within myself! When I'm swimming in the ocean...when I'm feeling the snow in the mountains...I'll still be here right beside you! Just keep me in your memory! I'm never really that far away! Can you let it in one more time? Can you feel it in the wind? It's always theeeeeeere!" The girl threw her hand into the air, and the crowd hollered and cheered. Jade closed her mouth, and slid back behind the curtain.

It all felt so amazing. Tori gazed out at everybody, and felt it. Once the show was over, the girl ran backstage, and was embraced by Cat, and Katrina. "Great job, Tori," Trina said, so happy for her sister.

"We knew you could do it," Cat said, overjoyed.

"That was amazing, Tori," Andre' congratulated.

"We're so proud of you, Victoria," Tori's mother said, standing beside her equally blown-away husband.

A thin, somewhat short African-American man jogged over to Tori, obviously in a hurry. "Excuse me," he said, half out of breath. "Who are you?"

"Oh, um, I'm Tori Vega," the girl answered, growing nervous. "Uh, I don't go to school here, but I was..."

"Well that was amazing," said the man, not even noticing that he was interrupted. "How would you like to go to school at Hollywood Arts?"

"What?" Tori asked, shocked and overjoyed. The girl looked at her sister. "Um, I...I don't know, I..."

"Tori," Cat began. "You have to. You're so good."

"Yeah, you're amazing," Andre' added. "You're one of the best I've ever heard."

"Trina, what do you think?" Tori asked, turning to her older sister.

"You were amazing," the girl replied, somewhat withdrawn. "Why let those talents go to waste?"

Tori smiled, though she tried to control herself. Hollywood Arts was the most prestigious high school in California. Only the best of the best were admitted. "Okay," she said, causing everyone around her to cheer.

_Victorious at last!_


	5. Zoey 101: Welcome to PCA

**Zoey 101's origins redone. New hopes and dreams built. Sunrise**

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Five; Welcome to PCA

_ Monday, November 7th, 2011._

PCA High School, built in 1889, has been an all-boys school until 2011. Being a boarding school, restrictions were established: out-of-dorm hours, sections reserved for either boys or girls, but not co-ed. Several female staff members were hired, including dorm advisers. Not all the changes were bad, however: female cheerleaders were welcome after years of men doing the splits.

Sixteen-year-old Zoey Brooks rode shotgun in her father's blue Porsche, her twelve-year-old brother, Dustin sat in the backseat. For the past three years, Dustin had been attending class at PCA by himself. Zoey was cool, though, so this change didn't bother him. The sky was bright, hued a perfect shade of blue, clear of any clouds. Shining down and warming the earth was the small, bright sun, reflecting off the majestic ocean surface.

"Looking forward to your first day, Zoe?" Mr. Brooks asked, looking over at his daughter for a second.

"I guess so," the blond teenager answered. "Kinda nervous, though. You know how I have trouble with first impressions."

"You'll be fine, baby," Zoey's father comforted, his voice warm and caring. "The people here are nice. Just ask your brother."

"Yeah, Zoey, you'll fit right in," Dustin replied, optimistic as ever.

"Thanks, guys," Zoey said, fixing her hair in the mirror on her visor. "I'm gonna be in room 105, right?"

"That's right," Mr. Brooks answered, a smile on his face. "Good luck, honey." The man parked his car about a block from the school. "Are you comfortable with me giving you your goodbye kiss?...Or should I back up onto the highway?"

Zoey giggled, then kissed her father on his cheek. The man put his hand around the girl's back in a loving embrace. "Bye, Daddy," Zoey said. "Love you."

"Love you too," Mr. Brooks responded, his voice loving as ever. "...Dustin...have you outgrown affection from your old man?"

"Nope," Dustin answered, wrapping his arms around his father, having to stretch from the back seat. "Love you, Dad."

"See yuh, son," Zoey and Dustin's father said, starting to drive up to the campus. "Have a great year, you two."

"Thanks, Dad," Zoey replied as the car reached the front of the school. The teenager and her brother exited the car, gave their father a quick wave, then walked towards PCA. Zoey adjusted her back pack, feeling somewhat nervous, then headed for the guidance office with her brother.

Inside the office, the walls were completely white, the floors tiled with green blocks designed to look dirty. The entire setting reminded the girl of her elementary school: sterile, uninviting. A slightly overweight, middle-aged woman with curly orange hair sat at a desk in the corner of the building, a window showing off the bushes and forest-like surroundings outside to her left. "Hello," she greeted, her tone friendly and cheery. "My name is Mrs. Donalds."

"Hello," Zoey greeted the woman reaching out her hand to shake the woman's. "Uh, my name is Zoey Brooks. This is my brother, Dustin. He's been a student here for about three years. I'm just starting."

"A little nervous, huh?" asked the woman. Zoey nodded. "Well, don't be. PCA is a very friendly environment. I'm sure you'll be just fine."

"Thank you," Zoey replied, nodding nervously.

"Let's see..." the woman continued, leafing through several files. "You have...Introduction to Business first hour: that's on your schedule. You'll have three minutes between each class, and the school day starts at 8 o'clock. You'll be staying in dorm room one o' five. You can pick up your books at the school store. Here's your key." Mrs. Donalds handed the girl a small, white key. "If you have any questions or concerns, come to me. I'm the guidance counselor, so it's my job to make sure everything's alright with the students. Okay?"

"Alright," Zoey responded. "Thank you." The blond turned to her brother. "Do you want me to stay with you until you get to your first hour class?"

"No, Zoey," Dustin answered, flattered and somewhat embarrassed. "I'm twelve. I can take care of myself. I'll see you later."

"Okay. Love you," Zoey replied, leaning down and kissing her brother on the forehead. The girl then departed from the room, heading for her dorm.

Once she reached the second floor, which began with floor 100 on the right side, room 110 on the left, Zoey began to take in the scenery. Proceeding down the blue-carpeted hallway, the teen saw the unique signs below the dorm numbers, flowers pinned to the walls, and then, finally, her assigned dorm room: 105. Pulling the key out of her pocket, the girl unlocked the door, and entered, still lugging her back pack. Two girls were sitting in the room, one was a thin, raven-haired girl with long sleeves sitting on the top of a bunk bed and listening to a blue iPod, the other was a brunette wearing her hair in a ponytail and sitting in a wooden chair, reading a magazine.

"Hello," Zoey greeted the two, setting her bag down next to the door. "Um...my name's Zoey Brooks."

"Hey," replied the brunette, getting up and walking over to the blond, her hand outstretched. "My name's Emily Sikes. Welcome to PCA. That's Sonny Monroe. Her real name's Allison, but she hates when people call her that."

"Hey," Sonny called, looking up from her sheets below her. "I'll be with you in a second." The song, "Awake and Alive" by the band Skillet sounded in the teen's ears. Once the rock song ended, Sonny took off her headphones, and climbed down the steps onto the brown shag carpeting. "Hi." The girl put out her hand. "High five." Sonny had a wide smile on her face, which showed off her flawless white teeth.

Zoey gently smacked the girl's hand, wearing a smile on her face. "So, uh...what class do you two have first?" she asked.

"Social studies," Emily answered. "Which sucks, but hey, what can yuh do?"

"I have health," Sonny added. "You?"

"Intro to business," Zoey answered. "Classes start tomorrow?"

"That's right," Sonny replied. "Today's just about getting to know your class and dormmates. I'm just about to head out. You wanna come with?"

"Sure," Zoey answered. "You comin' too, Emily?"

"Nah, I'm just gonna hang here," the brunette answered. "I'm not really the social type. You two have fun, though."

"Thanks, see yuh," Sonny replied, heading out the door.

Outside, the air was warm, just like a peaceful summer day, and the grass was green. Since the Pacific ocean was just off campus, the wind carried with it a light mist and the smell of salt water. Zoey and Sonny walked through the grass, feeling the blades tickle their feet through their sandles. Sonny was really nice, you could tell just by looking at her. There was just something about her: something sweet and innocent.

"You goin' out for any sports?" Zoey asked, looking over at her dormmate.

"I was thinking maybe basketball," Sonny answered. "I thought about cheerleading, but the skirts were about nine inches too short for my taste."

"I know, right," Zoey giggled. "Hey, have you met our dorm adviser yet?" The gentle air danced across the blond's face as she walked, providing a calming relief to her.

"No, but I know her name's Coco," the raven-haired teenager answered.

"Coco?" Zoey replied.

"I don't know," Sonny responded. "From what I hear, she's kind of out there." Out of the corner of her eye, the girl saw a curly-haired teenage boy bang fists with another boy, then laugh with a cocky smile on his face. "That's Logan Reese. He's the most obnoxious guy on campus."

"Looks like it," Zoey replied. "But you can't judge a book by its cover."

"I didn't," Sonny said, a hint of humor in her voice. "It was everything else that turned me off. I guess he's rich, so he gets some perks. Seems like he lets it go his head."

"I hate when people get like that," the blond said. The two soon made it to The Lounge, a small building reserved for the girls that offered a sitting room, a stereo system, and satellite T.V.

"This place is open from four to eight in the afternoon," Sonny informed the girl. "It's pretty nice, but I prefer sitting by the pool on my time off."

"Oh, yeah," Zoey replied, excitement in her voice. "The girls get their own pool area. Awesome!"

"Hey, Sonny," a girl called, running over to the two. The girl had long blond hair with streaks of pink running down the sides.

"Hey, Ronnie," Sonny greeted. "Hey, this is my dormmate, Zoey."

"Sup," Sonny's friend said. "Hey, have you ever killed anyone?"

"Knock it off," Sonny giggled, giving her friend a gentle shove. "Veronica's a senior here. We're like sisters, almost."

Zoey felt at a loss for words. Surely, no one like her could fit in with someone like Ronnie: cool, confident.

"Hey," Ronnie said, breaking the painful silence. "They're gonna be playing a movie on Friday night. It's some really crappy movie called "Octopus"."

"You wanna see that, Zoey?" Sonny offered, unintentionally making Zoey feel babied.

"Maybe," the blond replied. "Hey, do you know where the business class is gonna be held?"

"Uh, Building Four, room five," Veronica answered. "Most of the classes are in Building Four...'cept P.E. and science, for some reason."

Suddenly, a loud noise tore through the room. It sounded like hail hitting the roof.

"What is that?" someone blurted out, obviously shocked.

Sonny, Zoey, and Veronica ran outside to see the side of The Lounge coated with broken egg shells and blobs of raw yoke. In the distance, the girls could see three boys running away.

Zoey heard Ronnie cuss under her breath. "What was that?" the blond-pink-haired girl demanded, her voice laced with anger.

"Looks like some jerks were welcoming the first girls to the school," answered a boy with somewhat large, curly hair, who stood about one foot taller than Logan. "They asked me if I wanted in...turned 'em down."

"Who are you?" Sonny asked.

"Chase Matthews," the boy answered. "Sorry about that. I guess some people don't like this school going co-ed."

"Well, that sucks," Zoey exclaimed. "Do you know who those guys are?"

"Not really," Chase replied. "They just showed up this year."

"How long've you been going here?" Zoey asked, feeling an unusual sensation in the pit of her stomach.

"'Bout five years," Chase answered, showing little enthusiasm. "This place is okay...but there's places I'd rather be. Hey, I'll see you around. Lemme know if those guys bug you again. I'll...tell someone who can actually do something about it." With that, the teenage boy walked away.

"He seems like a dork," Ronnie said.

"He seems nice," Sonny replied, a hint of anger in her voice. "I think he likes you, Zoe."

"Nah," Zoey responded. However, out of the corner of her eye, the girl saw Chase sneak a quick look at her, then walk away.

That night, the air was cool, the sound of the waves hitting the shore providing a peaceful atmosphere. Zoey looked out at the stars above her. Lyrics from a song buzzed in the girl's head as she wrote in her journal. _I need a sign...To let me know you're here...Cuz my t.v. set keeps it old for me, and clear._ Something didn't feel right. First days always give off that impression. Despite the initial doubt, something else seemed off: What was it about Chase? Who threw eggs at the girl's club? Why? Too uneasy to write, Zoey turned off her light, then went into her new bed.

_Tuesday, November 8th._

The sky was painted dark red. Streaks of yellow and orange highlighted the horizon, and danced off the uneasy waves of the sea. The air was cool, and an increasing breeze tossed the palm trees and brush nearby. Zoey walked along the sand on the beach, holding her arms, trying to brace the chilling wind. Walks always provided Zoey a sense of comfort: solace during hard times and after nightmares. PCA was a lot to take in: it was more than just a school. It was an entity, a lifestyle of its own. _Maybe I don't belong, _the girl thought. _Maybe girls in general don't belong._ Out of the corner of her eye, Zoey saw a petite brunette girl, about her age, sitting on a small concrete dividing some of the grass from the sand of the beach.

Feeling the girl's emotional low, the blond walked over by her. "Are...you okay?" she asked, her voice sympathetic.

"...Yeah," the brunette answered, clearly lying.

"Then why are sitting here all alone?" Zoey replied. "And at five thirty in the morning?"

"I...I don't know," the girl shakily responded. "Who are you anyway?"

"My name's Zoey Brooks," the blond girl answered. "Just like you, I'm new here."

"How do you I'm new here?" the girl replied, growing short.

"...Because this is the first year they let girls into this school," Zoey answered, almost as if she was asking a question.

"...Oh yeah," the brunette replied, feeling stupid for her mistake. "Just...just leave me alone."

"Alright," Zoey responded, preparing to depart. "...But if it's any consolation, I feel out of place, too."

"...Really?" asked the girl, her tone lightening. "Why would you?"

"Because I'm one of the only girls here," Zoey began. "Because I never seem to fit in at any school I go to...Because I was there when three guys egged The Lounge."

"I heard of that," the girl replied. "...My name's Nicole Bristow." The brunette stood up. "Sorry I was short with you. I just...I don't know what it is...I have a miserable roommate, no guys'll talk to me...I'm just a loser."

Zoey felt compassion for the girl. Unfortunately, she didn't know what to tell her. "You're not a loser," she finally said. "You just...need to stop feeling sorry for yourself. You seem like a nice person...You'll find friends soon enough. And guys...Who needs 'em, really?"

"I don't know," Nicole replied, her throat beginning to ache. "...I've never been popular...but now I'm more alone than ever. And...I don't have my parents to come to anymore." The girl's eyes began to water, and she put her hand over her face, pathetically trying to hide her tears.

Zoey stood still, not knowing what to do. "...Do you want me to take you back to your dorm?" she asked.

"Okay," Nicole managed to say, her voice distorted by her crying. Zoey took the girl's arm, and walked her towards the girl's dorm section of campus. The girl was staying in dorm room 101, just along Zoey's way back to her own dorm. "Do you wanna come in for a second?"

"Uh..." Zoey began, looking back at her own dorm. Suddenly, she felt extremely sorry for the girl. "Sure." _She said her roommate was horrible, _the blond teen thought. _What am I getting into?_ The two entered the room, where a girl with long, shining, curly dark-brown hair was sleeping on the bottom bunk.

"That's Dana," Nicole whispered. "My roommate...Uh, how long can you stay?"

"Um, I need to be back at about seven," Zoey answered in a whisper, not daring to wake up the sleeping 'monster'. "That's when my roommates planned to get up."

"Thank you," Nicole whispered, deep gratefulness in her voice.

Come seven o'clock, Zoey left Room 101, and went to dorm room 105 (luckily, Dana wasn't up when she departed) Feeling around in her bath robe pocket, the girl soon realized she had forgotten her key. Gently knocking on the door, Zoey felt tension well up in her stomach. "Sonny," she whispered, trying to be loud for the two girls, but quiet for everyone else. "Emily...Hello."

Miraculously, Emily opened the door. "Where were you?" she asked.

"Long story," Zoey answered. "Plus I forgot my key."

"Well, while you are gone, those idiots teepeed the building," Emily informed the blond.

"What?" Zoey demanded, startled. "Did you see who it was?"

"A girl named Quinn, she has the dorm right in front of ours," Emily began. "Told me she saw Logan Reese, and Chase Matthews outside."

"I don't believe this," Zoey replied.

"That makes two of us," Sonny added. "I don't know about you, but I'm going right to the office."

"Maybe we should do that after class," Emily suggested. "Nothing's worse than coming in late on the first day."

First hour went smoothly, especially when Zoey found out that Nicole was one of her classmates. Unfortunately, so was Chase: What Logan did hurt, but knowing that Chase was involved too, after what he'd said earlier, made it all seem ruthless. "Hey, Zoey," he greeted.

"Hey," Zoey mumbled, trying to sound as cold and emotionless as possible. "Hey, Nicole." The sudden introduction of emotion in the girl's voice was noticeable.

"Hey, Zoe," Nicole greeted. "Thanks for...you know."

"Anytime," Zoey replied. "Were things any better with you and Dana this morning?"

"Little bit," Nicole answered. "Not by much, though."

Before Zoey could reply, the bell rang, and Mr. Bender entered the room. After introduction to business ended, math class began, which she had with Sonny, and Dana (much to Zoey's displeasure). Third hour, Zoey had P.E., where she knew no one. For fourth hour, the girl had social studies with that girl, Quinn, Emily, and Dana again. Fifth hour was a study hall with Nicole, Sonny, Logan, and Chase. Lunch was sixth period, which most of the sophomores and juniors had at the same time. Seventh hour was language arts with Emily, Sonny, Chase, and Quinn. Eighth hour chemistry was shared with Nicole, Emily, and Veronica. Ninth hour, the final hour of the school day, was another study hall, with Dana, Logan, Quinn, Emily.

As Zoey sat at her desk in her last hour class, she prepared to go to the office. Soon, the bell rang, but she wasn't quite ready to leave, and stayed for a few more minutes.

"Hey," said Logan, putting his hands on the blond girl's desk

"What?" Zoey shot back. "And get your hands off my desk."

"I don't know if you've gotten the message," Logan began, his voice almost in a snarl. "But we don't want you girls here."

"Well, that's too bad," Zoey replied. "Cuz we're not leaving. Girls have all the rights boys do, and I'm surprised you're not smart enough to see that yet. Oh, and by the way, if you're gonna vandalize our dorm buildings...you should make sure no one's watching."  
"...Like anyone's gonna believe you," Logan replied, clearly caught off guard.

"I'm sure the schoolboard'll take our word over yours," Zoey replied. "What's your problem, anyway?"

"My problem is you girls barging in here and expecting us to change our lives out of the blue," Logan snarled.

"No one is asking you to do that!" Zoey yelled. "Why do you have to act like such a sexist idiot?"

For a second, the room was silent. The girl's words were powerful. However, Logan found something to reply with: "Tell you what," he said. "If girls and boys are really equal...then you won't mind a little competition: One game of basketball. If the girls win, I'll turn myself in. If the boys win, the girls have to stay completely out of our way for the rest of the year. How does Thursday at dusk sound?"

"...Okay," Zoey answered, holding out her hand. Logan took it, and shook it.

Feeling her warm embrace, the boy experienced an odd sensation: a lightness in his heart, a sense of floating in his mind. Once the hand-shaking was over, the two departed, not feeling quite the same. In every way, Zoey and Logan threatened the other's very way of thinking: Logan's views were not only pre-feministic but hateful and semi-barbaric, while Zoey had essentially no biases, and believed men and women had the right to be whoever they wanted themselves to be. However, there was something more between the two.

That night, Zoey informed Sonny and Emily about her deal with Logan: "What?" Emily screamed.

"Why would you do that?" Sonny asked, trying to remain calm.

"I don't know," Zoey answered, sitting down on her bed. "Logan was just making me so mad, and all this garbage the guys have been putting us through. If we can beat them...we prove ourselves."

"But before you made that stupid deal, we didn't have anything to worry about!" Emily yelled, growing furious. "And it won't mean crap if we beat them. They're still gonna be complete jerks."

Zoey layed down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Letting out a deep breath, the girl gathered her thoughts. "I don't expect some kind of Disney-style happy ending," she replied. "...We have to go through with this...We have to take what they give us, and give back twice as much...If we don't, we should just throw on aprons and be like those housewives from the fifties."

The two girls thought for a second. "I'm in," Sonny finally said, her voice confident. "I'll get everyone I can to join us."

"...What the heck," Emily added. "I'm in too."

"...Awesome," Zoey replied.

To Be Continued...


	6. Zoey 101: The Battle for Everything

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Six; The Battle for Everything

_Zoey 101_

_Wednesday, November 9th. 10:00 AM_

Zoey, Sonny, and Emily stood on the hot asphalt of the school's outdoor basketball court. "Ladies," Zoey called out. "Are you tired of the way the guys have been treating us here?"

Several of the girls responded with a "yeah", while most others remained silent.

"Are you sick of being told you're inferior to the boys?" Sonny called.

"Yeah," more girls yelled back, their morale growing.

"And moreover..." Zoey concluded. "Are you tired of being discriminated against?"

"Yeah!" a large crowd of girls screamed. Discrimination: how many who complain of it truly know what it is? How many truly suffer from it? Why is it even a factor in the first place?

"We've been challenged by Logan to a game of basketball," Zoey declared, feeling like a revolutionary. "If we win, we win respect and our place at PCA." _My word, this is a crappy speech, _the girl thought to herself. "Who's in?"

No one responded. Soon, the girls began to talk amongst themselves. "Even if we win, they still won't treat us right," one of them called out.

"If we back down..." Emily replied. "Then we prove that girls can't compete with boys. But when has being our own people ever really mattered, right? Just as long as we always have men to fight our battles for us right? No, we can just find another school, one where the guys like us, right?"

Several of the girls began to think about the principle of the matter.

"Who says you can't get by with batting your lashes and tossing your hair, anyway?" Sonny called. "That's all we're really good for, isn't it?"

"...Oh, fine, I'm in," Nicole declared, stepping forward.

"Thanks, Nicole," Zoey whispered, feeling comfort well up in her heart.

"...Me too," added a somewhat short girl with pink glasses, wearing her hair in a bangless ponytail. "Quinn Pensky...at your service."

A somewhat overweight brunette girl with her hair in long dreadlocks, and a tall African-American girl with long, straight black hair stepped forward, wearing bold, grave expressions on their faces.

"Anyone else ready to make a difference?" Zoey called out. This time, no one answered. "You guys, if we lose, we have to spend the whole year acting like shut-ins." No one said anything.

"...It's alright, Zoey," Sonny whispered. "We have enough players." The raven-haired girl felt concern well up in the pit of her stomach. No one could know, though. "Come on, girls! Let's warm up!" Sonny led the other girls onto the grass for training.

"Dana," Nicole said, somewhat sad. "Aren't you gonna help us?"

"I don't think so," the curly brown-haired girl responded with a cold tone. Dana then departed, leaving her fellow girls to fend for themselves. In that one instant, Zoey's fears were realized: _Dana was really a monster_. _But would her decision have really made a difference anyway?_

Meanwhile, Chase, Logan, and an African-American teenager (their best friend, Michael Barret) were sitting at an outside table on an elevated area on campus which overlooked the ocean.

"This is stupid," Chase exclaimed. "Why can't we just treat them like people?"

"Are you gonna help us or not?" Logan snapped, his voice laced with rage.

"...No," Chase answered. "No, I don't think I am." With that, the curly-haired boy got up, and walked away.

"...Who needs him anyway?" Logan said to Michael. "Come on, let's get our team together."

"Sure," Michael replied. With that, the two walked away. "I think we have a good shot at this."

Back on the girl's section of the campus, Sonny was helping prepare the team while Zoey was practicing with Nicole. "What's up with that Dana girl?" the blond teenager asked, dribbling towards the basket.

"I don't know," Nicole answered. "She won't tell me anything about herself. Do you think we'll be able to win this?"

"Yeah," Zoey replied, even though she had no clue. "Don't worry. We'll be fine." The girl then shot a lay-up, purposely sticking her tongue out like Michael Jordan.

"Oh man, I've never been able to do that," Nicole replied, somewhat discouraged. "I've only been able to shoot free-throws."

"Well, let's see some," Zoey said, wanting to be supportive.

The brunette walked back to the free-throw line, put her hands in the air, her ball lined up with the basket, then let it glide off of her fingers. Hearing the "swoosh" sound, NIcole felt a sense of victory within herself.

"Nice," Zoey exclaimed.

"Thanks," Nicole replied. "Hey, uh, that girl, Sonny...she mentioned something called feminism?"

"You've never heard of feminism?" Zoey asked. The brunette shook her head slightly. "Well, I'm not exactly sure...I like to think it says women can do anything men do...That we have equal opportunities and responsibilities. That we can be as smart, as strong, and as capable as men are."

"Cool..." Nicole replied. "No one ever told me about that."

"Really?" Zoey asked. "My mom raves about it. She's the one who works in our family. My dad stays at home, helps Dustin and I with homework, cooks most of the meals."

"My folks are divorced," Nicole responded. "I live with my mother. Since Dad stopped paying alimony, she's had to work and take care of the house."

"...Oh, I'm sorry," Zoey said, not knowing how to react. A long and awkward silence began.

"Hey guys," Sonny called, running over to their court. "Hey, I think we're ready. Wanna play a game of four on three?"

"Sure," Zoey answered. "...If you're up for it, Nicole."

"Just save the free-throws for me," the brunette joked. With that, the three ran onto a larger court with the others.

_Thursday, 10th. Dusk._

As the air began to grow cool, the setting sun painted the dark sky a dramatic crimson. The ocean reflected the blood-red colors above it as its waters flowed and cascaded. Logan, Michael, an English teenager with black hair, two brown-haired boys (who were probably twins) verging on being overweight, a shorter boy with platinum-blond hair, an African-American teen with dread locks pulled backwards, and three boys wearing the Magic jerseys stood confidently on the court, arms crossed in an intimidating manor. Bold and angry, Zoey, Sonny, Emily, Nicole, Quinn, and the rest of their team of seven approached their opponents.

_Here we go, _Zoey thought, feeling her heart pound with anxious excitement.

"You girls ready to lose?" Logan asked, his voice irritating as ever.

"I was about to ask you the same question," Sonny confidently replied. The raven-haired girl was clad in a gray sweatshirt underneath a purple 64 jersey, and a pair of purple athletic shorts.

Nicole caught herself staring at Logan, but forced herself to look away.

"Let's do this," Logan declared. "First one to forty wins." Responding to that, the teams set themselves up on the field; Logan, Michael, two of the Magic jersey-wearers, and the teen with dread locks on offense, and Zoey, Sonny, Emily, the African-American teen, and Nicole (only because Quinn begged on not going in the first wave).

Logan threw Sonny the basketball for the check, then she tossed it back to him. Tucking his lips inward, the boy began furiously dribbling forward, his back to his opponent. Sonny threw her hand over Logan's shoulder, knocking the ball out of his hands, then charged for the basket. A Magic-jersey-clad boy with long brown hair charged at the girl, an obnoxious look on his face as he attempted to steal the ball. Sonny grabbed the ball, and threw it to Nicole, who dropped it. Michael quickly picked it up, and raced to the basket, and shot a lay-up.

After far too many defeats for the girls, the buzzer rang for the end of the first quarter. The score was Girls; 4 and Boys; 20. Sonny sat on the wooden bench, her breath heavy and her face blurred with sweat.

"Hey," Zoey said, sitting down next to the raven-haired girl as she took a drink of lukewarm water.

"Hey," Sonny replied after a somewhat heavy swallow.

"Don't worry, we're gonna catch up," the blond teenager assured her friend.

Sonny stared at the ground, her emotions ravaging inside of her. "I don't think so," she said, her voice sad and hoarse.

"Zoey," a familiar voice whispered. The blond girl looked over at the bleachers, and saw Dustin hiding underneath one of the seats.

"Dustin," Zoey said, somewhat shocked. The teenager walked over to her brother. "What are you doing?"

"The guys said they'd call me a girl if I rooted for you," the boy answered. "Look, I think it's wrong...the way they're treating you girls. I'm on your side. So...good luck."

Zoey felt warmth within herself. "Thanks, Dustin," she said, smiling. "You'd better get back to your dorm now."

"Okay," Dustin replied. "Love you." The boy ran off.

Still wearing a smile, the girl walked back to the bench, and sat down next to Sonny. "...You wanna be the cheerleader?" Zoey asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"No," Sonny answered, looking forward.

"...Then let's do this," Zoey replied, new ambition in her voice. Her words providing inspiration, Sonny looked at her friend, then sprang up just before the buzzer sounded the next quarter.

Zoey, Sonny, Quinn, Emily, and the slightly overweight brunette girl were on the field, preparing to defend themselves. Each one had their own purpose: Zoey wanted freedom, equality. Sonny wanted to prove her strength and skill. Quinn didn't know what she was fighting for. She just wanted to work on her science experiments until the sun went down. Emily was angry, and wanted to make a statement against the boys. The brunette girl, Carrie Donalds, wanted women to be considered equal to men. Her dream was to prove herself as self-aware and independent.

Chase passed by the metal fence, staring at the players. It was so stupid; _why couldn't the boys just treat the girls right? _he wondered. _Yeah, they're not touching them or anything like that...but all they're respecting about them is their bodies._ Disgust welled up inside the teenager. His first impulse was to keep going, but that just didn't feel right.

Quinn chucked the ball, and scored two points for her team. Anyone could see it was merely dumb luck. "I just calculated the weight of the ball, the relative momentum I built up, and the strength of my right arm," the girl explained, not sounding the least bit smug. "You see, the basket was roughly..."

"Come on, we have to hurry," Emily interrupted, running to block Logan. Sonny lunged into the air, and snatched the ball out of the boy's hand, passing it to Quinn.

"Okay," the girl whispered as she raised her arms to shoot. This time, however, she missed by about two feet. "Oh no."

With an irritating laugh, one of the twins retrieved the ball, then threw it to Michael. In a blitz, the teenager ran the entire length of the court, and scored the basket, raising his team's score to 22.

Zoey charged down the court, dribbling viciously. Suddenly, Logan sprang out and yanked the ball out of the girl's hand, causing her to trip and hit the ground hard.

"Oh," several teenagers yelled. Soon, however, their cries turned to "boo's"

Zoey let out a moan, her eyes closed, as she tried to get up. "Zoey!" Sonny called, running over to her friend. Nicole, Emily, and Dustin followed her. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I guess," Zoey answered, pulling herself up with the raven-haired girl's aid. "Ow."

"Are you sure, Zoey?" Dustin asked, his voice filled with concern. "You fell really hard."

"Dustin..." the blond girl said, holding the back of her aching head. "I thought you were going back to your dorm."

"...What kind of brother would I be if I abandoned my sister?" the boy answered.

"Hey," Logan called, shattering a touching moment. "We're in the middle of a game here!"

"You jerk!" Emily yelled. "She's hurt! She can't play like this!"

"Too bad," the curly-haired boy snapped. "You can't play, you forfeit."

"Zoey, sit down," Nicole said, helping her friend onto the bench. "We still have enough players."

"Um, Quinn's throwing up," Dustin whispered to the brunette. The two looked over to see the brainiac vomitting just off the court.

"I have some trouble exerting," Quinn explained. "I don't think I stretched properly."

"Here, I know how to treat this kind of thing," said Tamera, walking over to the girl.

"Oh man," Nicole replied. "...I can still play, I guess."

"Hey," called a somewhat unfamiliar voice. Everything's heads turned as Dana walked onto the court, clad in a black and red "9" jersey. "Can I join this game?"

"Dana," Zoey exclaimed, her head still pounding. "You showed up...You play?"

"Gimme the ball," the curly-haired girl replied, her voice firm. Sonny chucked Dana the ball, which she then threw into the basket from half court. "That answer your question?"

"Thank you," Nicole whispered, feeling her throat start to hurt.

Dana gave a quick knod, then turned to Logan. "We playing or what?" she demanded.

"Sure thing," Logan answered, his voice cocky.

"And, for the record," Sonny confidently added. "I think it's our ball. Since you fowled Zoey."

"...Whatever," Logan replied, not wanting to argue about the subject.

"Okay," Dana said, looking at her teammates. "Just stay out of my way, pass Sonny or I the ball whenever you can, and we'll be fine."

Emily subtly rolled her eyes. "Sounds good," she said, no sarcasm in her voice.

With that, the buzzer rang, ending the time-out. Dana, Sonny, Emily, Nicole, and the brunette girl assembled on the court. Dana dribbled the ball in place, then charged for the basket. Logan and the black-haired boy jumped in front of her, but she broke through them, and dunked the ball. In the next play, Michael dribbled the ball, only to have it stolen by Sonny, who tossed the ball to the brunette girl, who scored the next basket. After several plays ending with the girls scoring, the score was thirty-eight to thirty-eight.

Dana charged towards the basket, sweat trickling off of her forehead, and a look of raw determination on her face. The twins blocked her, and out of instinct, she tossed the ball to her teammate, Nicole. Shocked and nervous, the girl shot her head back and forth, and was soon knocked over by the two boys, letting out a high-pitched shriek.

"Fowl!" yelled a referee. "Two shots!"

Nicole swallowed hard as she dribbled the ball on the free-throw line. _This is it, _she thought to herself. _Everything's riding on this...not that much time left..._ Looking over at Zoey, the petit brunette saw, possibly due to her mind playing tricks on her, a knod of encouragement. Feeling inspired, Nicole threw the ball into the air, and scored one point.

"Way to go, Nicole!" Sonny yelled.

The girl dribbled the ball one more time, swallowed hard, then aimed carefully. Letting out a silent but deep breath, Nicole shot the ball, and heard the victorious _swoosh _sound. All the girls cheered.

"We win!" Emily hollered, jumping up and down in front of Logan. Following that, Zoey was given an ice pack, and slowly recovered. The girls then joined in for a victory party.

Underneath the star-filled night, Sonny, Zoey, Nicole, Emily, and even Dana lay on the grass, enjoying their victory. "This was awesome," Zoey said. "Things are starting to look up."

"Hope so," Sonny replied. "...Wow. The stars are beautiful tonight."

"Um, excuse me...Zoey," Chase said, slowly walking over to the girls. "D-do you have a minute?"

"I don't know," Zoey replied, her voice reflecting some of her inner pain. "Why?"

"...Logan told me about how some of his friends vandalized the girls' property on campus," Chase stuttered, obviously nervous. "I just...wanted you to know, I didn't have anything to do with it. I think Logan was being a jerk...that's why I didn't help the guys in the basketball game. So... Congratulations on winning." The boy began to walk away, feeling upset with everything going on.

"Wait," Zoey called, quickly getting up and following him. "...Thanks for apologizing...You know, you're...alright."

"Thanks," Chase replied, his heart pounding and his stomach dancing with butterflies. "You're...alright too."

"I'll, uh...see you around," Zoey said, sounding like she was asking a question.

"Sure," Chase replied, smiling. Trying to leave with a good impression left, the boy quickly jogged away into the night.

"Um, Zoey..." Nicole said, speedily walking over to the blond girl. "Hey, uh...I was talking to Sonny and Emily...and I was wondering if you'd like to, you know...move into our dorm? Please?"

_Nicole is really nice, and she seems really lost and scared, _the girl thought."...Dana can't be that bad, can she?" Zoey asked, jokingly. "...Sure thing."

A giant smile sprang onto Nicole's face, let out a shriek she tried to hold back, then warmly embraced her friend. "Thanks, Zoey," she whispered.

After several minutes, the group went over to the hill, and watched the waves of the ocean crash gently to the shore.

"...I think I'm gonna like it here," Sonny said, her eyes glistening.


	7. Victorious iCarly: Requiem for Dreams

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Seven: Requiem for Dreams

_Victorious/iCarly_

_Monday. November 14th, 2011. 9:30 p.m._

Tori sat on her bed, writing down some poems based on her emotions. After the talent show, there was a lot to take in. Today was mostly spent getting her classes prepared for the rest of her school year at Hollywood Arts. From what the girl had seen, it was breath-taking. More than ever, the fear of not being enough burned in Tori's mind. Outside, the sky was pitch black, illuminated by hundreds of stars that hued the night a deep, icy aqua color.

Come morning, Tori's stomach was ravaged as she walked into the living room. As usual, Katrina was calm and prepared for school. _What else can you expect when you think you're the queen of performing? _the teen asked herself, feeling somewhat resentful. "Almost ready to go?" Tori asked her sister, returning to her calm, loving nature.

"Almost," Trina casually answered, putting on some light pink lipstick. "You?"

"I guess," Tori responded. "Hey...is that my lipstick?"

"Oh, yeah," Katrina said. "Is it okay if I borrow some?"

"...Sure," the younger brunette answered, somewhat distraught. "Can you drive today?"

"Alright," Trina answered, grabbing her book bag off a table by the couch. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!"

"Bye!" Tori called, slinging her back pack over her shoulder. With that, the two walked outside. The sky was a light blue that, to many, would be comforting. However, it had little effect on Victoria.

At eight thirty, the two were inside the bright-red-colored school. Looking around, the brunette was amazed to see the other students: a couple consisting of a blond girl with her hair pulled back into a bun, clad in a pink tutu and a short-haired brunette boy were performing a scene from The Dying Swan with great passion and dedication. Catching herself staring, Tori kept walking.

"Don't worry, Tori," Trina said, walking alongside her sister. "I'm stick with you until you get in the swing of things."

"Hey Trina," called a raven-haired girl with her hair spiked into a mow hawk in the center. "They're having auditions for Burlesque!"

"No way!" Katrina replied, her heart pounding. "Um...you'll be fine, right, Tori?"

"I-I guess so," Tori lied, not daring to ruin her sister's chances of stardom.

"Thanks," Trina replied, happily giving her sister a kiss before running off.

By this time, the brunette knew where her locker was, though her combination was still a slight issue for her. As she spun the cool, black lock, Tori could hear the it click as her numbers sped by: 54-22-34.

"Hey, Tori!" Cat excitedly greeted her friend. "Hey, your locker's right next to mine. This is awesome!"

"Yeah it is," Tori replied, pulling her plain red locker door open. "Do, uh, you know where Mister...Sikowitz's class is?"

"Oh yeah," Cat answered, her voice in an optimistic shriek. "That's my first hour class. You can follow me."

"You seem excited," the brunette said, a smile forming on her face. "Sikowitz one of your favorite teachers?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cat shrieked, deeply offended.

"...N-nothing," Tori answered, trying desperately to make it up to her friend. "I-I was just asking if you liked his class."

"Oh, okay," the shorter brunette replied, her mood back to its original, friendly state. "Ready?"

"Um, yeah," answered Tori, pulling several books out of her locker. "Let's hit it."

The two walked to their right, then took another right at the end of the hallway, where they entered Room 327. Inside, there were two sets of multi-colored seats arranged in five rows of five seats. In the front of the room was a raised platform with a chalkboard on the wall behind it. Several students were already seated, no books to be seen. One of the students that stood out was Jade.

"Hey, Jade," Cat enthusiastically greeted her friend.

"Sup, Cat?" Jade replied, a smile forming on her Gothic face. "Hey...Tori." The loss of motivation in the girl's voice was more than obvious.

Not wanting to cause a confrontation, the brunette just replied, "Jade" then sat down next to Cat towards the back.

Once a bizarre bell rang in sets of three, a man who looked about thirty walked in, holding a coconut. The center of his head was bald, but the gray-laced brown hair around his crown was somewhat long and curly, and he had a shaggy beard. "Hello, class," he greeted before taking a sip of the sweet milk from his coconut. "And hello to our new student...Ms. Tori Vega." Mr. Sikowitz held out his hand towards the brunette, who nervously waved to the class, who was now staring at her.

Jade rolled her eyes in disgust. _Big deal, _she bitterly thought. The girl could feel her stomach fill with resentment and a horrid, bubbling sense of inferiority.

"Alright, let's begin with some improve acting sessions," Mr. Sikowitz announced, stepping onto the platform. "Let me see...Cat, Jade, Daniel, and... Tori."

Feeling nervous, Tori stood up. "W-what exactly is improve acting?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"That is when one of the actors chooses the scene, setting, and scenario," the teacher explained, taking a seat. "And you and the others act out that scene without a script or any general idea of what should happen. Cat, why don't you give us the setting and plot?"

"Sure!" Cat shrieked, shooting onto the platform. "Alright, um...let's see...we're on a beach but it's winter. We're all trying to help some beached whales get back into the ocean."

_Oh boy, _Tori thought, trying to hold back laughter.

Following a somewhat overly-comical performance, the bell rang, and Tori went to her next class; Mr. Sikowitz's Acting-and-Life class. Cat was the only face she recognized...besides Sikowitz. However, one student stuck out: a curly-haired boy with black glasses and a wooden dummy in his hand.

"Hi," Tori greeted, looking over at him from her seat. "My name's Tori."

"I-I know who you are," the boy replied, obviously very shy. "You did an excellent job in the musical. Oh, my name's Robbie Shappiro...and this is Rex." "Hi," the dummy greeted in a louder, deeper, and more comically confident voice.

"Hi, Rex," Tori somewhat jokingly replied. "He's cool."

"Thanks," Rex replied. "Back at'cha, baby." "Rex!" Robbie scolded. "Sorry."

Feeling truly weirded out, the brunette just nodded, then turned away. After the bell rang, Sikowitz entered the room again, holding another coconut in his hand, sucking on the pink bendy straw extruding out of it. "Hello, class," he greeted. "Today, we will be showing our newest student, Ms. Tori Vega, one of my most favorite plays..."

The room fell silent. All eyes were on Sikowitz as he slowly, gravely walked forward. After what felt like a gripping eternity, he reached the platform, and slowly climbed up the stairs. "Ladies and gentlemen..." he began, his voice filled with stone cold confidence. "Winter's Chill." Every student clapped, though Tori was slow to pick up on it. "Our performers will be, as they have been for the past four years...Ten C. Degree!" Again, the entire room was filled with applause.

Walking in with grace and confidence, the actors and actresses entered the room. Essentially, Winter's Chill was about a struggling middle-classed family being forced to live in the mountains after their father departs without a warning. While dealing with debts and vicious drug dealers, the family faces isolation, especially in the case of Ellen, the teenage daughter. In the end, her father turns out to be dead, her family exiles themselves in depression, and her only friend is her pet raven, and even she abandons her. Tori felt a tear come to her eye in that final, heart-breaking scene.

"I'll never get why you stay with me," said Ellen, her voice hoarse and breaking. The girl held the small raven in her hand, staring at her with teary eyes. "You can fly...why don't you just fly away?" Looking up to what was intended to be a dark, ash-filled sky, the bird flew away, leaving the girl totally alone, and trying to hold back tears, not that anyone would see them.

After the class applauded, Mr. Sikowitz turned to Tori. "Your assignment, Ms. Vega...just like every new student...is to show us your interpretation of The Raven Scene."

"Um, okay," Tori replied. "When do you want it by?"

"Right now," Sikowitz answered, somewhat happy with his mystique.

After a second of terrified silence, the girl nervously walked over to the platform. "Um...okay," Tori whispered. "Um..." Looking out at the class, seeing them all staring at her, the brunette felt her stomach turn onto its side. "I think it's about...the way the world is unpredictalbe. And, um...how sometimes we have to fight our battles alone...Right?"

For a second, the room was silent. Not one sound was heard. "I'm sorry, Tori," Sikowitz replied, disappointed. "That's incorrect."

"What? Oh, I'm sorry," Tori responded, ashamed of herself. "C-can I...try again?"

"Maybe tomorrow," Mr. Sikowitz answered, looking at the clock. "And please, think of everything you've seen, and don't hold back." Taking a sip of the milk in his coconut, the man's eyes glazed over for a second as he stared into space.

"Mr. Sikowitz," Cat called, her voice concerned.

"Sorry!" the startled man shot back, his head shooting back into place. Gesturing at the furry orb in his hand, he explained: "Gives me visions."

Humiliated and confused, Victoria slunk down into her chair, wanting to disappear. _I don't belong here, _she told herself.

That night, Jade returned to her home, angry and extremely bitter. Her dark hair and her pale, Gothic face reflected her outlook on life all too well. Above her, the sky was dark, and the stars were shining a frosted blue.

"Honey, where were you?" Jade's mother asked, her hands wrapped in the towel she was drying the dishes with. The woman sounded more concerned than angry. "You missed dinner, and you had me worried sick."

"I was out with some friends," the girl snarled, walking towards the stairs leading to her room.

"You could have called," Marilyn replied, growing upset. "Look, I saved you some casserole. Do you wanna sit down with me and eat?"

"I..." Jade began, trying to think of an excuse. "I ate out...Thank you, though." The girl ran up the stairs, too uncomfortable to linger.

Marilyn dropped her head, staring at the empty table she was planning on sitting down at with her daughter. Jade used to be so sweet.

In her dark room, Jadeyn threw her book bag on the floor, then lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. _I can't believe how mad I am, _she thought. _Tori's ruining my life! Why couldn't her stupid sister have performed? At least she could look like an idiot and not care...What am I saying? Why am I so jealous of her? This isn't like me. What do I care? I don't have anything to prove. Ah! I can't take this!_ Finally, Jade found herself asleep, and her anger subsided. Her breath was slowed, calmed, and her face eased into a gentle expression. Though she couldn't remember then in her consciousness, Jade's dreams showed her what she wanted so badly to see...

Meanwhile, Tori sat on Trina's bed, her swinging back and forth. "Why can't you tell me about the Raven Scene?" she begged her sister.

"I just can't," Katrina answered, folding a pink blouse in front of herself. "It's something you have to do for yourself."

The younger brunette fell on her back, letting her arms dangle off the sides of the bed. Letting out a moan, Tori closed her eyes. _This doesn't make any sense, _she said to herself. _How can I fail the assignment? It's my own feelings._

The next morning, Tori sat in Mr. Sikowitz's classroom, nervously waiting to give her answer, which kept her up half the night. _Okay, it's not about society in general...I think I've got it this time._

Walking in with an optimistic stride, Mr. Sikowitz entered the room. "Hello, class," he greeted. "Did anyone see that sunrise this morning? Inspiring as always." Tori felt her stomach tense up. "Ms. Vega, are you ready to wow us?"

"I think so," Tori answered, confidence in her voice. The brunette walked up to the platform, and faced the class.

"Good luck, Tori!" Cat called, her voice sweet, and her intentions innocent.

"Thanks," the teenager quietly replied. "Okay, in my opinion, The Raven Scene is about letting go. It's about Ellen letting her friend fly off into its own life, even though it hurts. This is how...everyone should feel. You know, thinking of other people above ourselves...Right?"

Mr. Sikowitz shook his head. Feeling her heart sink, Victoria silently went back to her chair, trying to avoid eye contact with everyone.

"It's okay," Cat sympathetically whispered, looking at her friend with saddened eyes.

Watching from a short distance, Jade couldn't help but feel happy. It felt horrible, but the girl knew her feelings were real.

After class, Tori leaned against her locker, feeling sick and upset. Every locker around her had its etiquette decorations; expressing its owner's emotions and passions. However, the girl's was naked; void of all expression.

"Hey, Tori," Andre' greeted his friend, walking over to her with Cat and Robbie by his side. "How's it goin' so far?"

"Horrible," Tori answered. "I can't get The Raven Scene. How did you guys do it?"

"Uw, I know!" Cat shrieked, growing excited.

"Cat," Andre' interrupted, trying to remind her of what they'd all agreed on earlier. With that, the brunette nodded, and stayed quiet. "...You have to find the answer yourself, Tori. It has to be your opinion, no one else's."

"I did that, but I still failed," Tori responded. "This...ah! I don't get this! Maybe I shouldn't even be here."

"Tori, don't say that," Catarina said, her voice growing sad. "You're really good, and you should believe in yourself."

"Yeah," Rex added, his voice confident. "If you don't belong here, none of us do."

"You'll get it," Andre' assured the girl. "Trust me. Just think about it."

Later that day, Jade was standing in front of the mirror in the girl's bathroom. Slowly, she applied black mascara, gazing at her image growing darker. _What's wrong with me? _she wondered. _I feel like I'm rotting from the inside out. I'm not like this._

"Hi, Jade," called a sweet, familiar voice. Turning around, the dark-haired girl saw Cat standing behind her.

"Hey," Jade optimistically greeted. "What's up?"

"Tori's really down about The Raven Scene," the brunette answered. "Do you think there's anything we can do to help her?"

Feeling crushed; angry but sad; guilty but reluctant to act, the almost-Gothic girl thought of what she should say. "...I don't know," she said, turning back to the mirror.

"Jade, what's going on?" Cat asked, sounding upset. "Why are you being so mean to Tori? She's a nice girl, and I know she just wants to be your friend."

"Cat, I don't wanna talk about this right now," the dark-haired girl replied, her voice growing hoarse. "Look, I'm sorry. There's just a lot going on right now."

With a sigh, Cat dropped her head, and began to walk away. Suddenly, she felt a hand gently grab her arm. "Cat..." Jade said. "I really am sorry. Please don't be sad...It's not that I don't like Tori. I just have trouble getting along with her."

It wasn't perfect, or what she wanted, but Cat felt herself coming to accept her friend's feelings. "...Okay," she finally said, wanting everything to be alright with Jade. The girl held her arms out, and wrapped them around Jade, who did the same thing to her.

Meanwhile, Tori was sitting under a tree, feeling the winter's breeze blow her long, soft hair. _Winter's Chill, _she mused in her mind. The girl could see the raven perched on her friend's arm. Devastated, alone. Ellen's only friend...the only one in her life. _You can fly...why don't you just fly away?_ As the scene played out inside her mind, Tori felt her breaths slow, and she felt one with Ellen; one with the raven. "...I get it," she whispered, her heart pounding. "Awesome."

Mr. Sikowtiz sat on a desk, sipping milk from a coconut. Suddenly, the door to his classroom flew open, and Tori burst in. Several students, including Cat and Andre' gathered by the doorway.

"Mr. Sikowitz!" the brunette yelled, excited. "I get it! I get The Raven Scene!"

"Excellent," the man replied, standing up. "Let's hear it."

"Okay," Tori began. "It's about letting others live their dreams and their lives, no matter what we're going through. And, if you look at it closely, you realize that the raven is actually a part of Ellen, which she sets free...Is that right?"

"...No," Sikowitz answered.

After a second of silence, Tori felt her blood boil in her veins. All her struggles, all her pain, all for not. "...I have spent three days, lost sleep, and about had an ulcer for this...You know what...I can't take this anymore! That's what I think, and I don't care what anyone thinks! Okay, it is right!...How's that make you feel?"

The air was hushed. Sikowitz stood up, and began clapping slowly, impressed. Tori stood still, not knowing what was going on. Cat, Andre', and the other students walked in, each of them clapping. Deeply confused, the brunette looked around. "W-what's going on?" she asked.

"You did it," Mr. Sikowitz answered. "...That was the assignment. You don't ask if you're right...You tell me you're right. Stand for what _you_ believe in, not what other people believe...Welcome to Hollywood Arts, Tori."

"Great job, Tori!" Cat cried, wrapping her arms around her friend. "I knew you could do it."

"Thanks, Cat," the brunette replied, a large smile on her face. "You too, Andre'."

"We didn't do anything," Andre' said. "It was all you."

Later that day, Andre', Cat, Robbie, and Trina were walking through the hallway. "Hey guys," Tori called. "Check this out." The group followed the girl to her locker, which gave them all a surprise: it was now painted midnight blue with "Make It Shine" rhinestoned on it in a powerful variety of colors. "What do you think?"

"Pretty," Cat responded, gazing at the deep colors in front of her.

"Nice job," Katrina added. "You should do just fine here."

"...I know I am," Tori replied, putting a smile on her face.

Requiem for Dreams

_iCarly_

_Spencer _"Good job, Spencer," the boy's mother congratulated him, holding up the sculpture he just made.

"Thanks, Mommy," Spencer replied. "It's supposed to represent a turtle." Even at the age of eight, the boy was beginning to understand what abstract sculpting was: representing things and emotions through unusual shapes and colors. It was astonishing. Best of all, it was something Spencer could do with his mother.

However, things changed after ten years. It seemed so slow, so gradual, but it did come: Spencer and Carly's parents were stationed overseas on a naval assignment, leaving the eighteen-year-old in charge of his sister. The last thing his father told him was what he wanted and expected: "I've payed for you to attend law school," said Sheldon Shay.

Wanting only to make his father proud, Spencer agreed. His life would change drastically; he was a single guardian of his little sister, and persuing career he'd never imagined. Sure, his dad had mentioned it before, but Spencer never thought he'd wind up being pushed into it. All things considered, things would be pretty easy; Carly had school during the day for the same hours as he Spencer. All he'd have to do is come home, make dinner, and generally take care of his sister.

On his first day, the young man walked into the gigantic school, climbing up a near-infinite flight of marble stairs, clad in a brown suit with matching tie and slacks. His shoes nicely shined and his hair combed in a very neat style, Spencer held his brief case in hand and prepared himself. It was extremely overwhelming to be surrounded by hundreds of wealthy, serious people with such dedication to their careers. Fortunately, Catherine, the young man's girlfriend, would be joining him during this difficult time.

Sitting at his usual spot in a room that resembled an auditorium, trying to listen to the man giving a lecture, Spencer gazed around the room. _I hate this, _he thought. _I don't belong here. Ah! I can't believe how much work I have tonight! It's only my second day and I'm already falling behind._ His stomach sick, Spencer slipped a Tums into his mouth, and tried to chew it quietly.

That night, the sky was dark over Seattle as the young man vigorously typed on his computer under the light of a dim lamp. Feeling his eyes grow tired, the boy continued working his tired, aching fingers on the black keys. Letting out a yawn, Spencer struggled to keep going. _So tired, _he thought, his entire body weak and ready to collapse on itself. Glancing over at a clock, the boy saw it was 12:05. It was too late to still be up and working. "Have to...remember to call Catherine," Spencer mumbled, barely aware of what he was saying. "Cathy..." His eyes blurring over, the boy saved his work, then layed down on his desk.

Slowly, the door to the teenager's room opened, and his little sister walked in. "Come on," she said in a gentle, sweet voice as she helped Spencer up. "Let's get to bed." Laying her brother on his bed, nine-year-old tucked him under the sheets, and turned out his light.

"Spencer, it's not that bad," Catherine said, gently rubbing the top of the young man's back as they sat at a small table near the school. "The first few days can be overwhelming."

"I feel like I'm gonna throw up," Spencer replied. "It's too much...and I don't want this. I don't want to be a lawyer."

"Just hang in there," Catherine responded. "It'll be over soon. Besides...we get to spend more time together." The girl looked lovingly, needfully into her boyfriend's eyes. Any other time, her puppy dog gaze would solve everything...but not now.

"I'm sorry, I have to start on my homework," Spencer said, his voice low, drained of all emotion, and somewhat cold. The boy then walked off.

_I want you to be a lawyer. Your grandfather was a lawyer...I was one until I joined the Navy. It's a good career. You'll get used to the idea._ That never happened, though. It never got any easier. Something had to happen. Something had to change...

"I'm sorry," Spencer said, returning his large stack of books to the front desk. "I just can't do this."

_Sam _"I love you, Daddy," Sam said, lovingly wrapping her little arms around her father's neck. Melanie, the girl's identical twin did the same.

"Me too," said the other blond girl. The two five-year-olds were so sweet, so gentle.

"You're the best daddy in the world," Sam added. The girl closed her eyes, and enjoyed the comfort of her father's warm embrace.

"And you two are the best daughters I could ever imagine," the man replied, gently stroking his kids' hair. Glancing into another section of the room, Mr. Puckett saw his wife, Pamela drunk and laying on the couch with a wet rag over her sore eyes.

Those days, things were so peaceful, so happy. Melanie would run home after school, show her father the A. she got on each and every test, then Sam would come home, and smother him with hugs and kisses. All the while, Pam would be drinking herself sick or throwing up in the tiolet. No matter how bad school may have been, Samantha could always count on her dad's comfort to make it all better. Every night, that kind, selfless man would put his daughters to sleep with bedtime stories and gentle songs.

However, when Melanie and Sam turned six, their beloved father fell terminally ill. They didn't know what it was, but he was bed-ridden for weeks. Everyone, even Pam, gathered around him in his last moments.

"We love you, Daddy," Sam said, her eyes filling with tears.

"I love you, too," Daniel Puckett whispered, barely able to talk. After getting one last look at his beloved family, the man closed his eyes, and turned its head to its side. The three Puckett girls began crying, and never truly stopped.

Several months later, Pam couldn't afford the shabby apartment the family had lived in all their lives, and the three were forced to move into a horrid building on the other end of town. The air inside was laced with the stench of mold, the wallpaper was dirty and peeling off. It was all so disgusting. To make matters worse, Pam soon became violent as her drinking worsened.

Luckily for her, Melanie's grades got her admitted to a prestigious boarding school in England for no cost when she turned ten; it was the escape she'd always dreamed of. Sam, on the other hand, was not so lucky, and was forced to live with her miserable mother.

After one of Pam's more vicious beatings, Sam crawled towards her dump of a room, her back red and throbbing. Only one thought existed in her mind: _Gotta get in there...have to get away from her._ Feeling her knees grinding into the rough carpet, the young girl kept moving forward, too terrified to stop no matter how exhausted or weak she was. Finally, miraculously, Sam made it into her room; the closest thing to a haven she had in this hovel, pulled the door shut, and tightly locked it. Letting out deep, heavy, relieved breaths, the child closed her eyes as she leaned against the door. It hurt so bad...The bruses, the cuts, the words...but worst of all, the sense of powerlessness. Burning tears welled up in the child's eyes, then slid down her red cheeks.

Fortunately, Sam had met a girl named Carly in third grade. The two became the best of friends, after being paired together for a history project. Carly, who was the same age as Sam, was nice, sweet, and gentle, so it was only fitting that the two bonded. "We're like sisters," Carly said one day. Things were different then...

"Why didn't you call if you were gonna be late?" Pam hollered as her daughter walked inside.

For too long, Sam would drop her head and take her mother's beatings. After coming home day after day after horrid day to insults and beatings, it was too much. "...How could I do that?" the girl snarled. "I don't have any freakin' money to use a pay phone." _I don't have to take her crap, _Sam told herself. _At school, I get treated like a human being..._

"Where do you think you get off talking to me like that?" Pam shot back, her voice laced with anger.

Sam stared at her mother with a look of disgust on her face. Not wanting another fight, the teenager just walked into her room and locked the door. Everyone at school noticed the change in Sam: she went from being sweet and quiet...to being cold, nasty, and quick to anger. It was tragic to everyone, especially Carly. But what could she do? Knowing that there was nothing she could do, Carly just kept quiet and tried to accept Sam's changing behavior...no matter how much it hurt.

_Carly _"I love you, Carly," said Miranda, stroking her daughter's hair. Outside, the sky was a comforting shade of blue. Birds flew by the windows above the Seattle skyline. The breeze was warm and calm.

"I love you too, Mommy," Carly replied.

Waking up, Carly realized the days with her mother and father were over...at least for now. Spencer was her guardian, and that was cool; he wasn't really like a dad, just an older brother. After he dropped out of school, Carly could spend a lot of quality time with her brother. They'd sculpt, paint, or just watch television together.

Life was good; plenty of friends, a nice apartment in an upper-classed neighborhood, loving brother. What else could a girl want? Well, Lewbert could be replaced as the door man.

_Freddie All my life, I never knew my father. Maybe I don't even have one. My mom's great, though. She is kind of over-protective, though. That doesn't matter, though. When I was, like, nine, I got interested in electronics. I mean, I was a total tech-geek. On top of that, I love Star Wars, Star Trek... you name it, I know it. Maybe I'm a nerd, but who cares? My name is Freddie Benson, and this is me..._

"Freddie," said Marissa Benson. "What is this?" The woman was holding up another of her son's love poems to a girl he barely knew.

"Mom!" Freddie cried, jumping off of the couch. "Were did you find that? That's mine!"

"Freddie, I don't like you do this kind of thing," Freddie's mon replied. "You're too young to be thinking about girls. And who is this...Carly girl anyway?"

"Mom!" Freddie groaned. This puppy-dog lover thing of Freddie's was fairly recent, so it was still new for his mother. Who would brag about their son being lovesick?

_Wednesday_. _October 20th, 2010. 11:35 A.M._

"You did what?" Carly snapped, unable to believe what her friend had just told her.

"Sssh!" Sam replied, not wanting the faculty to hear her. "Just wait." Suddenly, the sound of an explosian tore through the teacher's lounge, and screaming was heard.

"Sam, I can't believe you..." the fifteen-year-old brunette began to shout.

"Hang on, look at this," the blond interrupted. Just then, Ms. Briggs, the nasty, redheaded assistant principal ran out of the lounge, almost completely colored purple.

"Who is responsible for this?" the woman demanded, furious. Spotting Sam and Carly, Ms. Briggs let out a deep, rageful breath, and stormed over to them. "You two. Office. Now!"

"But I didn't..." Carly began to explain.

"Come on," Briggs interrupted, grabbing the two by the ears and pulling them into the , the principal struggled to hold back his laughter at the sight of the purple teacher.

"Sam, what'd you do this time?" the African-American man asked.

"It was both of them, ," Ms. Briggs replied. "And they set off a...paint bomb in the teacher's lounge!"

"Carly, is this true?" asked the principal.

Looking at her friend, the brunette couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Why should she have to suffer alone? "Yes, sir," Carly answered, weak and timid. "I'm sorry. We didn't think it'd be this bad."

"I believe I have come up with a fitting punishment," the purple red-head said, trying to see through her paint-coated glasses. "At least for now."

Sam and Carly looked at one another, expecting the worst. Ms. Briggs was vicious and heartless. Her idea of a fitting punishment could be a nightmare at best.

"You two will be put in charge of auditions for the school's talent show," Briggs continued. "...On Saturday morning."

Carly and Sam let out devastated groans. This weekend was now shot.

Outside the office, Carly looked over at Sam. "What were you thinking?" the brunette asked, her anger showing in her voice.

"I don't know," Sam answered. Carly found herself growing upset_; Sam wasn't always like this._

"Hey, guys," greeted Freddie Benson. The brunette boy was a year younger than Carly and Sam, though he was in many of their classes. "How's it going?"

"Not now, Benson," Sam snarled, not looking up from the floor.

"Sam," Carly disciplined. "We have Saturday detention. Briggs is making us audition kids for the talent show."

"Ah, that stinks," Freddie replied. "Hey, I was thinking about filming the auditions for the school website. You want me to help?"

"Please, no," Sam whispered.

"Thanks, Freddie," Carly said. "I'm really bad with working camera." Sam let out a deep, annoyed sigh.

Come Saturday at about nine o'clock, Sam, Carly, and Freddie were in the school auditorium. Freddie was setting up a tripod camera by the stage, and the girls were reviewing the teenagers trying out.

"This guy sounds cool," Carly said, reading over a sheet of paper. "Look at that." The brunette showed her friend the information on a student named Donnie Southers.

"Ah, that's sick," Sam exclaimed, laughing.

Soon, the teens auditioning for the show began to file in. First up was a singing team called Japanese Scooby-Doo: the two so-called musicians were horrible, and quickly and bluntly dismissed by Sam. Next up was Andrew Sanders, who brought a very unusual talent to the table: "I can squirt milk out of my eyes," he said, not sounding very interested.

"Let's see it," Carly replied, showing interest. With that, the boy drank a cup of milk he brought with him, kept it in his mouth, then pulled down on his eye lids. Small streams of white liquid squirted out of the boy's lower eye lids.

Freddie, Sam, and Carly let out disgusted, impressed cries. "You are definitely in," Sam declared, marking down Andrew on her list.

Next on the list was a boy who displayed his tongue, which was cleaved into two points towards its end. As if that wasn't enough, the boy closed his mouth, allowing his the two chubs of pink flesh to extrude out of the skin above his chin.

"Nasty!" Carly exclaimed, a wide smile on her face. "You're in!"

Following who Sam dubbed "Tongue Boy" was a thin, dark-haired girl who immediately lay down on her stomach and folded her legs backwards until her feet touched above her shoulders. The teenager then brought herself up in a flip manner, and quickly repeated the movement.

Finally, all fifteen of the contestants were chosen. "Okay, I'm uploading them onto the school's website," Freddie informed the girls.

"Great," Carly gratefully replied. "Thanks, Freddie. Hey, Sam, you know what the only thing creapier than that double-jointed guy's act was?"

"Ms. Briggs new haircut?" Sam replied, her voice raising as she grew excited.

"Yeah," Carly replied, laughing. "I'm sorry, but I didn't know Mickey Rourke had his own style." The two burst into laughter.

A large smile forming on his face, Freddie decided to point the camera on the two; their jokes were too funny to miss.

"And who could forget that lecture last week on PDA?" Sam added. "Can you spell bitter?" Carly chuckled, doubling over as her stomach began to ache.

"Yeah," Carly added, preparing an impression of Ms. Briggs. "And who starts a lecture with "what is wrong with you brats?" The two burst into laughter. Freddie could barely stand up, feeling like his side was splitting.

Knowing how much of a positive reaction they would get, the teenage boy decided to post this hilarious video on What harm could it do? Carly and Sam were awesome.

That night, Carly was sitting on the couch in her apartment's living room, reading a book. Spencer was in the chair, watching Tool Time, which he viewed soley for the laughs. "So, how were the auditions today?" he asked.

"Really cool," Carly answered. "You should've seen that guy with two tongues. I felt kinda bad, though."

"Why?" Spencer asked.

"I've seen some of those guys around school," Carly began, her voice growing sad. "They get made fun of almost all the time."

"That stinks," Spencer replied. "...Hey, can you show the video you guys made for the school's website?"

"Sure," Carly answered, getting her laptop off of the table in front of her. As the teenager began typing, the telephone began to ring. "Can you get that, please?"

"Will do," Spencer replied, getting the cordless phone from its charger on the kitchen counter. "Hello?...Oh, hey, Ms. Briggs...You remember me, it's Spencer...Yeah, that one...Oh...Yeah, she's right here." The young man covered the input end of the phone. "It's for you," he whispered. "Yeah, Ms. Briggs. Bye." Spencer then handed his sister the phone.

"Hello," Carly greeted, her voice unsuspecting. "...But it was...we didn't mean...How'd it get online? Ms. Briggs, I'm... Okay. Yeah. Bye." The girl hung up the phone, then dropped onto the couch, depressed.

"What's up, sport?" Spencer asked.

"Sam and I are gonna get suspended," Carly answered, devastated. "Briggs said our video was unseemly conduct."

"The talent show video?" Spencer asked, extremely concerned.

"No," the brunette replied, sounding shocked. "She said there was one on ZapLook. But I don't remember posting anything except that Carly and Sam show two months ago." The girl picked up her computer, and began typing. Finally, she reached the site she was looking for. "Oh my gosh..."

"What?" Spencer asked.

"Somebody posted the jokes Sam and I posted about Ms. Briggs!" Carly exclaimed, growing upset. "I can't believe this! Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick."

Spencer sat down beside his sister, and put his hand on her shoulder, wanting so bad to be able to help her. However, there was nothing he could think of.

Come Monday, Sam and Carly were standing in front of their lockers. The two were both sick to their stomachs. After all, this could be their very last day at Schneider High.

"Who do you think did this?" Sam asked, obviously furious.

"I don't know," Carly answered. "The only one with us was Freddie, but he wouldn't do something like that."

"Hey, girls," Freddie greeted, casually walking by the two.

"Hold on a second, Fredward!" Sam shot in, slamming the boy against the locker. "How'd the jokes Carly and I told get on the Internet?"

"I-I posted them on ZapLook," Freddie confessed, barely able to speak. "I thought it'd be funny."

"Freddie, we're gonna get suspended," Carly replied, her voice growing hysteric. "You have to do something."

"Let me go, and I'll fix everything," Freddie responded, his self-disgust showing in his voice. Sam released her grip on the boy, then stepped back, a deep scowl emblazoned on her face. "I'm really sorry, you two."

"That's nice to say, but it's really too late," Carly replied, humiliated.

Freddie then walked towards the office, his head low. _I am such a jerk, _he scolded himself.

"Hey, do you have your laptop with you?" Sam asked, still angry.

"Yeah, why?" Carly answered, her voice quiet.

"I wanna see how many people saw us," Sam responded, pulling the computer out of Carly's book bag. "...Whoa."

"What?" asked the brunette, looking at the computer screen from behind Sam's shoulder. "Oh my...gosh." The two gazed at the viewer count for the video titled, "Carly and Sam Jokes": it was well above one thousand. The reviews were amazing; "Wow! Ths grls rck!", "LOL!", something in French, then, "I love these girls!"

"They love us," Sam said, her eyes glued to the screen and her mouth dangling open.

"Yeah," Carly replied. "...Maybe we were too hard on Freddie."

"More like not hard enough," Sam shot back, her voice laced with anger.

"No, he was just trying to be nice," Carly defended the boy. "He's gonna get murdered. I know what his mom's like...We have to help him."

"...Fine," Sam surrendered. The two girls quickly walked down to the principal's office.

Inside Mr. Franklin's office, the brunette teenager sat in a small red-cushioned chair, staring at the floor. Letting out a sigh, the boy kept pounding what he did into his head.

"Mr. Benson, I'm very disappointed in you," Mr. Franklin said, his voice devastatingly quiet and grave. "This isn't like you."

"I'm sorry," Freddie groaned, too ashamed to speak properly.

"You realize you could be suspended for doing something like this," the principal declared. "Especially without the consent of the people you filmed."

Feeling an agonizing lump well up in his throat, the boy dropped his head lower.

"Mr. Franklin," Carly called, running into the office. "It wasn't Freddie's fault."

"Yeah, Carly and I talked about posting that video," Sam added, knowing what she was risking.

"We're really sorry," Carly said, her voice meek. "It was wrong, especially towards Ms. Briggs. We'll take it off the Internet."

For a second, the room was silent. "...For too long, I've seen people say and do horrible things on the Internet," he began, his tone very grave. "People will do anything if they can get away with it. You three are the only ones I've ever seen who have taken responsibility for yourselves. Although I can't condone what you did...I know that you're all..." The man looked at Sam. "...Generally good kids... And I think people deserve second chances... I'll tell you what... You take that video off the net, write an apology to Ms. Briggs, and...I think you can get off the hook with... three days detention. How's that sound?"

"Thank you, Mr. Franklin," Carly said, trying to contain her happiness and relief.

"Yeah, thanks," Freddie added.

"Yeah," Sam concluded, showing little enthusiasm.

"Briggs also wanted me to get rid of your talent show video," added the African-American man. "...But I loved that milk-out-of-the-eye guy. Good selection, girls."

"Thank you," Carly replied, somewhat flattered.

That night, the three were sitting in Carly's apartment, sitting in the living room. "You know," Sam began. "It's too bad they made us take that video off ZapLook."

"What do you mean?" Carly asked.

"I mean, yeah, it was kind of stupid," Sam began to answer. "But people really liked us...wouldn't it be cool if we made web videos all the time?"

"Yeah, that'd be cool," Carly replied. "Hey, do you still have that cam quarter?"

"Sure," Sam answered. "...You thinking what I'm thinking?" _The song, "Breathe" by Michelle Branch begins to play, gradually swelling._

"All we need is a name," Carly replied.

"How's...iCarly sound?" Freddie asked.

"I like that," Carly somewhat jokingly said.

"Works for me," Sam added.

"Call me if you ever need a camera man," Freddie threw in. Sam glanced over at the boy, and gave him a quick wink.

"I have some ideas already," Carly threw in. "You ready?" Carly and Sam then looked at one another, and exchanged smiles.

"I'm Carly!" the brunette exclaimed.

"And I'm Sam," the blond added, jumping beside Carly and into the view of their mounted cam quarter.

"And this is iCarly!" the two yelled in harmony. Sam then pulled out a small, hand-held device, pressed a button on it, then listened to the sound of simulated applause.

To Be Continued...


	8. iCarly: Carly Barfs

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Eight: Carly Barfs

_iCarly_

_ Thursday. November 17th, 2011. 7:30 P.M._

Carly and Sam poured a bucket of liquefied peaches into a small swimming pool. "Oh, gross," Sam casually exclaimed.

"Okay," Carly said after the bucket was empty. "We have the pool full of peaches. Now we call in our mystery guest...Spencer!"

The door to the attic iCarly studio opened, and Carly's legal guardian entered, a blindfold over his eyes. "Okay," he said, walking towards the middle of the room. "I am ready for the pool of wonder." Sam took the young man's hand, and walked him over to the pool.

"Right this way, sir," the blond said, feigning a sophisticated voice.

"Thank you," Spencer replied as he reached the pool. The young man then set his foot into the peach juice, and sat down in it.

"Okay, Spencer," Carly loudly announced. "It's time for..."

"What Am I Sitting In?" Sam and Carly yelled, their loud tones causing some minor distortion to the audio. The blond then pressed the applause button on her hand-held remote.

"Hmm," said Spencer, gently running his arms through the liquid. "Well, its smooth...I don't know how to perceive that." The brunette boy smelled the fluids. "Mmm, smells like...is it...Peaches?"

"Yes it is!" Carly and Sam yelled. Spencer then threw his blindfold off, shot up, then joined the girls in cheering.

After that night's show was over, Carly uploaded it onto ZapLook, then checked her e-mail, as usual. "Hey Sam," the brunette called. "Check this out!"

"What's up?" Sam asked, running over to her friend's computer, which was sitting atop a small black table.

"We got an e-mail from Internet Spotlight!" Carly shrieked, growing more excited by the second. The girl then clicked on the message, which was on her Yahoo! account. "...They want us to appear on their next episode in three weeks...And get this...Mark Zuckerberg's gonna co-guest star with us!"

"Oh my gosh!" Sam exclaimed, her voice reaching an excitedly low tone. "The guy from Social Network? Dude, I love him!"

"Yeah, it takes a special kind of guy to take other people's ideas, mix 'em with his own, and become a billionare," Carly jokingly added. "No, but...he is pretty cool. I can't wait."

"How many people, do you think, are gonna be watching us?" Sam asked.

"They get, like, 4.4 million viewers a show," Carly answered. "Wow...This is amazing." The girl stared at the computer, as if she was mesmerized by its shining screen. Suddenly, the teen could feel her emotional state drop.

"Carly, what's wrong?" Sam asked.

"...N-nothing," Carly replied, shaking herself out of her daze. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm really tired."

"Sure thing," Sam replied, not taking any offense. "We're gonna need our rest for the next few weeks." The blond giggled at her own joke, soon being joined by her friend. "Okay, see yuh."

"Bye," said Carly, watching her friend leave. Once Sam was out of sight, the girl walked over to a mirror, lifted up her shirt, and looked at her stomach. _Oh man, _she thought, growing disgusted with her pudgy, flabby stomach. _Oh, my classmates might be okay with the way I look...but there's no way the guys on that show are gonna tolerate it...I look disgusting. _Soon, the teenager felt herself become consumed with self-doubt. _I eat too much. I'm disgusting when I'm eating. What's wrong with me? Oh, why didn't I notice this earlier? Maybe those kids at school were laughing at me. Oh my gosh... I have to lose weight. And I'd better do it soon._ The brunette looked at the date on the e-mail: Thursday, December 8th. _Okay. That should be enough time...For someone stronger than me. Oh, all that garbage I ate today...I think I'm gonna be sick._

The next morning, Carly woke up early, feeling disgusting; her body was coated in sweat, her hair felt oily and crunchy, and her stomach was gross and gurgling. After a shower that lasted longer than usual, the girl walked downstairs, and headed towards the living room.

"Hey," Spencer called, cooking some pancakes on a skillet. "How'd you sleep?"

"Okay, I guess," Carly answered. The teenager then dropped on her back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Her stomach was burning with what felt like white hot fire that gave off an almost icy feeling. _So hungry, _she moaned inside her head.

"You want some pancakes?" asked the brunette's older brother.

"Um...can I just have a grapefruit?" Carly replied, covering her eyes with her right arm.

"...Sure," Spencer answered. "Just a sec."

"Thanks," Carly replied, somewhat disappointed. Hearing her stomach loudly groan, the brunette put her left hand on it, trying to hide the sound from Spencer. Glancing over at the counter the lamp was sitting on, Carly saw the photo of her mother, which was taken the day of her high school graduation; she looked so beautiful with her long, dark hair let down below her shoulder, and that tiny red dress she had on. She was always so thin, so perfect. _Why can't I be like you? _the girl asked herself. A large, painful lump swelled up in Carly's throat, and she could feel tears forming in her eyes.

Over that week, Carly did everything she could to cut back; she took small bites of all her food, skipped desserts, then gradually started eating less and less. Not even Spencer noticed. Exercising was easy enough to sneak in: "I'm going to the library after school," she'd say over her cell phone. Then, after running and working out until she was bathed in sweat and ready to pass out, she'd shower and then come home. However, Carly couldn't help but feel like she was being lazy; like there was more she could do to lose weight. But that's the way she was, lazy.

As painful as starving herself was, what was worse for the teenager was having to weigh herself day after day, watching the pounds stay pretty much the same no matter what she did. Having to gaze at her disgusting reflection in the mirror was a work of horror too. _Oh, what is wrong with me? _the girl screamed at herself. _Why can't I lose the weight? The show's in two weeks._ Her rage bottling up and splashing all through her bowls and up into her throat, the brunette threw her arms down hard, gritting her teeth until it hurt. _I'm so hungry...But I'm so fat...so hideous._ Feeling depressed and self-repulsed, the girl grabbed her aching stomach, and stumbled into her bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Gazing into the water in the toilet, Carly felt her stomach turn violently. Outside the night's sky was pitch black and so cold. Her legs were weak. Consumed by self-hatred and regret, the teenager stuck out her pointer finger, and stuck it into her mouth, then into her throat. Suddenly, Carly felt herself gag. Then, a hot, disgusting taste welled up in her throat, and horrifying, burning vomit poured out of her mouth, splashing hard into the toilet. Still feeling guilty and gross, the girl stuck her hand in again, and threw up more, and more, and more until her entire body was weak and shaking. No longer able to support herself, the girl fell to her knees, kept in the darkness of the room. The night passed by slowly, agonizingly slow.

It felt horrible, disgusting, devastating. However, it felt, in a strange, sick way, good. _I can't move, _Carly thought, her throat sore and her body still weak. _But it's the only way that's working. It's not that far away. After the show, then I'll be able to eat again. _Even she knew it was a lie, but the girl needed some sort of goal.

The next morning, Sam was coming over for an iCarly rehearsal. By that time, Carly was back to normal; as if her horrific deed never happened. Not feeling guilty worried her, though. The sky was painted an almost royal blue color, which was pleasant and comforting to look at for Carly.

"Hey, Carls!" Sam yelled as she ran through the open door into the Shay's living room. "Ready to work some iCarly magic?"

"Sure thing," Carly replied, showing noticeably less ambition than her friend. "Where do you wanna start?"

"Well," Sam began, her voice excited and jokingly confident as usual. "I was thinking we could do that "What I Love" segment. You know, where we're supposed to have a serious talk about things we love, but I keep talking about stupid stuff..."

_Why is she so skinny? _Carly angrily asked herself, looking at Sam's thin, wiry body. _She eats like a pig, never works out. Why am I so fat? It's not fair. I hate her for being so skinny. _Soon, the brunette caught herself. It was horrible to talk about her best friend that way. Just one more bad quality.

"So, whatta you think?" Sam asked, jumping onto the couch.

"...Sounds great," Carly answered, putting a smile on her face. It wasn't her usual smile, though: it was forced, weak.

"You okay?" the blond asked.

"I'm fine," Carly answered. "Come on, let's get started." With that, the two ran upstairs to the attic, and started rehearsing.

"Gonna have to bring our A-game for that show next week," Sam declared, throwing off the rainbow-colored afrow she was wearing. "Do you think we should come dressed as mimes?"

"What?" Carly asked, feeling herself grow irritated. "Why would we do that?"

"Just a joke," Sam replied. "But, should we have some stuff prepared? You've seen the people they've had on Internet Spotlight."

"Whatever, I guess," Carly answered, not even looking at Sam.

"What's wrong with you?" the blond demanded. "You've been peed off all day."

"I'm fine," the brunette snapped back. "You know what, I'm done with this. I'm going to lay down." The girl stormed out of the room, leaving Sam confused and somewhat hurt.

After slamming her door and closing all the shades, Carly thrust herself on her bed, and buried her face in her pillow. _I am so angry! _she hollered in her mind. _Ah, what is wrong with her?_ Trying to hold back screams of rage, the teenager pressed her pillow into her head until it almost hurt. Maybe she fell asleep a few times without noticing it, or maybe she just lay still for a couple of hours, but somehow, Carly woke up at five P.M. By this time, her anger had turned into self-disgust. _I shouldn't have snapped at Sam. She was just trying to help. Oh, I'm such a horrible friend. I can't believe myself!_ The girl walked into her bathroom, closed the door behind her, and gazed into the gentle fluids in the toilet. It was so unsettling, but it felt right. Carly stuck her finger down her throat again, and puked hard, her eyes closed tightly. It wasn't as bad this time, but it was still horrible; weakening, painful.

"Carly!" Spencer called up the stairs, sounding concerned. "You okay, sport?"

"...I," her voice was weak and squeaky. After clearing her throat, which had to be done carefully at this point, Carly called back, "I'm fine!"

"It's almost time for dinner," Spencer called back. "Are you gonna be ready in a few minutes?"

"I, oh!" Carly groaned, feeling her stomach start to viciously cramp up. "Oh,...Hey, I'm not feeling so well. I-I'm just gonna go to bed."

"...Um, okay," Spencer replied, sounding sympathetic. "I'll keep some pizza warm for yuh. You need anything right now?"

"No," Carly answered, her voice weak. _I think this is diarrhea, _she thought, clenching her stomach.

After about an hour, once her body had to be empty, Carly stumbled towards the mirror, and looked at her reflection: her eyes were surrounded by dark rings, her hair was a mess, and she looked pale all over. _My gosh, _she thought, half-way horrified. _I need water. I'm dehydrating._

That night, Carly fell asleep at about eight o'clock, which was way too early for her. However, she wasn't herself right now. Laying on her back, her stomach too weak to hold her weight, the girl soon fell into a foggy daze. Not much was recognizable, but she could herself walking towards the kitchen. There, she saw the refrigerator throw its large door open, revealing a row of sharp, white teeth lining its rims. What sounded like a roar sounded from the monster's mouth, causing Carly to shoot back to consciousness. Looking at her clock, the girl saw, emblazon in shining red lines: 9:00. Seeing the darkness all around her, the teen began to feel distressed. _I slept longer than that...didn't I? Oh, I don't feel right. _Her mind racing, feeling like she was in the midst of a fever, Carly's eyes dashed all around the room. Finally, she lay back down, closed her eyes, and was soon back to sleep.

Come morning, Spencer was waiting on the couch when Carly came downstairs. "Hey, Carls," he greeted, his voice warm. "I made you some toast. That'll be easy on your stomach. You feeling any better?"

"Little bit," Carly answered, her voice almost in a whisper. "Hey, did Sam call last night?"

"Oh, yeah," Spencer replied, going towards the phone. "She called around seven." The young man played the message: "Carly, it's me," informed the recording of Sam's voice. "Hey, sorry about that fight earlier. Look, if you want, you cin call me. I'm gonna be home all day tomorrow. So, uh, bye."

"I should call her," Carly said, sitting down on the couch after grabbing the cordless phone. "I feel horrible about yelling at her."

"Hey, before you do that," Spencer said, his voice gentle. "...You've seemed kind of off lately. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Carly answered as she dialed the phone. "Thanks." After two rings, Sam picked up her cell phone. "Sam, it's Carly...Hey, sorry about yesterday...Okay. So, you ready for the show? Yeah, it's only about a week away. Yeah...sure. I'm feeling kinda cruddy today, but I'll probably be fine tomorrow. Sure. Okay...Bye."

"So, everything's cool?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah," Carly answered, a smile forming on her face. "Everything's good. Hey, you're still going over to Socko's tomorrow night?"

"If you're feeling okay," Spencer responded. "We're gonna go night fishing. Why?"

"Sam and I were gonna watch Curly Cow," Carly answered.

"But I love..." Spencer began.

"And check out what she bought at Build-A-Bra," Carly concluded.

"Oh," Spencer replied, realizing how happy he'd be night fishing instead of staying home. "Have fun with that."

"Thanks," Carly replied, chuckling.

The next night, Sam came over at about five thirty with her new Curly Cow DVD and her new, specially-made bra. After watching about an hour and a half of mindless cartoons, the girls decided to tear into the pizza Spencer made earlier that week.

"Hey, look-it this," Sam laughed, folding up a whole piece of pizza and stuffing it into her mouth. The two laughed.

Carly took a bite of the slice she'd just put in the microwave, then pulled out a long string of melted cheese. The brunette and her friend chuckled.

"This was fun," Carly said as her and Sam sat on the couch, watching the un-aired pilot of Curly Cow once they'd finished their pizza.

"Yeah," Sam replied, not looking away from the television. "It was awesome. We should do this kinda stuff more often."

Thinking of how much food she ate, and how stupid she must have looked, Carly looked down at her stomach. "Um, I have to use the lady's room," she said.

"You want me to pause it?" the blond asked.

"No, that's fine," Carly said as she ran up the stairs. Sam turned back to the television, and leaned back in the couch.

"...Nuts," the blond suddenly said to herself. "Think I left my purse upstairs..." Sam then ran upstairs. Once she was near Carly's room, she heard a retching sound, and grew concerned. "Carly?" Getting no answer, the girl ran towards her friend's bathroom. "Carly! Carly, are you okay?" Sam threw open the bathroom door, and saw Carly throwing up into the toilet. "Carls...what's wrong with you?"

"Oh...nothing," Carly lied, too weak to get up.

"Hey, lemme see your hands," Sam replied, grabbing the brunette's arm.

"No," Carly futilely groaned.

"Oh, Carly," Sam sadly declared, noticing Russel's Sign scarred on her friend's knuckles. "Carly, what's going on? You're making yourself sick?"

"Yes," Carly whined, sitting up with Sam's help. "I don't want to...I just feel so horrible if I don't."

"Carly, there's nothing wrong with you," Sam replied. "You're not fat...you're too nice and sweet to do this to yourself. Everyone is."

"No I'm not," Carly argued.

"Carly, what brought this on?" Sam persisted. "Is it something I said?"

"No," Carly groaned. "...I want to look good for the show next week. It's really important to me."

"Carly, you're beautiful," Sam replied. "Even if you looked horrible, you shouldn't do something this stupid...You shouldn't change yourself. Look at who you are...you're amazing. Please...stop hurting yourself." Soon, the girl's voice turned to a whisper. "Please...you're fine. You're perfect. It's okay." Sam began gently stroking Carly's long hair, like a mother would do for her daughter.

"...Thanks, Sam," Carly replied, still very weak. Her friend's words were so comforting, so assuring that everything was alright. "...You really think I look okay?"

"Yeah I do," Sam answered. "And so should you. Besides, you're funny, nice, and smart, and you have awesome friends." Carly giggled, and was then joined by her friend.

"Maybe you're right," Carly replied. "...This was stupid. Thanks for snapping me out of it."

"Come on," the blond said, helping Carly up. "Let's get you some water... The nightmare's over."

"Please don't tell Spencer," Carly said as the two walked towards the kitchen. "I don't want him to know about this."

"Just don't start it ever again," Sam added, her tone agreeing. "Wanna practice some more?"

"You know it," Carly answered. As they passed by a mirror, the brunette glanced at her stomach, gently stroked over it, then shrugged her shoulders, and decided to keep walking.

The next week, Sam and Carly were on Internet Spotlight before over five million viewers. Mark was clever, but kind of hard to understand. Above all, it was fun and enjoyable for Sam and Carly.

"So, how did the two of you become friends?" asked the female host, whose hair was long and dirty blond.

"Well, Sam was always really caring and supportive," Carly began, glancing over at her friend. "She's the best friend you could have."

"Same with Carly," Sam added, smiling at her friend. "...Mark, you havn't told us much about yourself." A hint of humor was detectable in the girl's voice.

The young man sat up straight in his chair, and prepared to inform the girls about his life. Things were good again, and this time, there was nothing that could ruin that.

"Would you two like to sign us out?" asked the woman host.

"Sure thing," Carly replied, looking at Sam. The blond then pressed the applause button on her remote, and the studio audience roared with applause, leading the show to fade out until it was no longer on-air.


	9. Victorious: Cat's Calling

**This chapter is dedicated to VICTORIOUSRULEZ for inspiring me with Cat Valentine: Reborn**

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Nine: Cat's Calling

_Victorious_

_Thursday. December 8th, 2011. 8:45 A.M._

Outside Hollywood Arts, the sky was painted over gray. Dark clouds swarmed over the sun, shadowing over the earth. The air was cool and barren.

"Hey, have you talked to Cat lately?" Tori asked.

"No, I haven't seen her since Friday," Andre' answered. "I wonder what she's up to."

"Tori!" Trina called as she ran down the stairs and towards her sister's locker. "Tori, have you seen my sheet music?"

"No," Tori quickly answered. "And we were in the middle of a conversation."

Suddenly, the doors to the school gently slid open, letting in some light. Students casually glanced back at the girl who entered, then found they couldn't look away. The sight was so unusual, so unexpected, so shocking on so many levels. She displayed it modestly, like there was nothing abnormal about it. Some people laughed, others told stupid jokes, but many seemed amazed and stunned.

"So I was...whoa," Tori exclaimed, taken back.

"Hey, guys," Cat greeted her friends, flipping her long, red velvet hair behind her right ear, wearing a smile on her face. "What's up?"

No one replied, their jaws dropped somewhat. Walking closer to the three, Cat waved her hand in front of their eyes. "Hello?" she sweetly said, trying to snap them out of their trances. "Hello-oh."

"C-Cat..." Andre' finally managed to say. "What happened to your hair?"

"Do you like it?" the red-haired girl sweetly replied, fluffing her hair in the back. "I did it this morning."

"Why?" Trina responded, her voice expressing how weird she thought Cat's decision was.

"Trina," Tori scolded her sister. "It looks cool, Cat. Really creative."

"Thanks," Catarina said, obviously touched. "I did it for self-expression. I've always loved red velvet."

"You did a good job," Katrina replied, trying to sound supportive as she looked over the girl's hair. "Has your mom seen it yet?"

"No," Cat innocently answered. "I'm gonna surprise her after I get home from school. Hey, I need to come in early for Mr. Sikowitz's class. See yuh."

Later that day, Jade was throwing some books into her locker. Following the argument she'd had with Mrs. January the previous Friday, the girl had been stuck in in-school suspension. "Stupid witch," Jade snarled to herself.

"Hey, Jade!" Cat excitedly greeted her best friend.

"Hey, Ca..." Jade began, only to freeze when she saw the girl's new hair color. "W-what did you..."

"I dyed my hair," Cat answered. "Do you like it?"

"...If you like it, I think it's awesome," Jade happily answered. The dark-haired girl then embraced Cat with a warm hug.

"Thanks!" Cat shrieked. "You want me to do yours?"

"Um, I like my natural color," Jade replied, wanting to spare her friend's feelings. "Thanks, though." _Dodged a bullet on that one, _the girl thought with a sigh of relief.

"I'm gonna show my mom when I get home," Cat continued. "You wanna be there for it?"

"She didn't know about this?" Jade replied, growing concerned for her friend.

"No," Cat answered, her eyes becoming beady, her tone growing sad and hurt. "Why?"

"This might be kind of a shock to her," Jade explained.

"Oh, so you don't really like my hair?" Cat snapped, tears welling up in her eyes. "Then why'd you say you did?"

"Cat, I do," Jade replied, desperate to make her friend feel better. "I just don't know how your mom's gonna take it." Cat sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Come here." Jade wrapped her arms around her friend. "Will it make you feel better if I let you work on my hair?"

"You mean it?" Cat asked, her voice somewhat muffled in Jade's shoulder.

"Yeah," Jade replied, accepting her defeat. "But only in streaks."

"Yay!" the red-haired girl yelped. "Come on, let's do it now." Cat pulled her friend into the bathroom, and began working on her hair.

Later that day, Jade walked down the hallway, proudly bearing her black hair, which now had streaks of bubble-gum pink on her left bang and blue on her right. Wearing her usual scowl, the girl marched towards the exit. Several people stared, but Jade merely flipped her hair in spite of them.

"Jade?" Katrina asked, seeing the girl's colored hair.

"Like it?" Jade asked, her voice confident. "Cat's a master with hair." With that, the Gothic-influenced teenager kept walking.

Meanwhile, Tori and Cat were by the redhead's locker. "You ready to tell your mom?" Tori asked.

"It's not a big deal," Catarina gently answered. "She'll be cool with it. You know...I could do your hair too."

"Um, no, thanks, Cat," Tori politely replied. "I like this color."

"Jade let me do hers," Cat pleaded, not unlike a little kid.

"Maybe some other time," Tori replied, desperately hoping that would work.

"Well, okay," Cat accepted. "See you tomorrow."

"Later, Cat," the brunette said, a slight giggle to her voice.

With that, the girl threw her back pack over her shoulder, and walked out the door, headed for home. Several students snickered amongst themselves as the girl walked by: "Nice hair," they'd mockingly say. "Look at that stupid bimbo," one of the older girls snarled to her friends. "Could she look any dumber?" asked a girl with half her hair shaved off.

Unlike earlier, the air was warm and calm, and the sun was starting to come out. Cat started whistling "Sunshine", the song her and her mother used to sing every night when she was a child. _I hope Mommy likes my hair, _she thought, feeling the breeze on her neck.

By the time she reached her home, Catarina noticed the clouds were thickening again. _Oh, poo, _she thought. _Oh well. At least now I won't get sunburn._ "Mommy, I'm home!" the girl called, her voice happy and innocent as ever. Cat opened the door, and walked inside.

"Hi, Kitty..." Cat's mom began, only to stop dead in her tracks, and dropped her jaw. "What...on Earth?"

"Do you like it?" Cat innocently asked, dying to win her mother's approval. "I worked really hard on it."

"Catarina Valentine," Danielle snarled, furious at her daughter. "I do not approve of this kind of behavior. Am I that horrible of a mother that you have to act out like this? How dare you?"

Feeling an agonizing lump swell up in her throat, and hot tears form in her eyes, Cat attempted to defend herself; "But," she squeaked, barely able to speak. "But I..."

"No excuses," the woman ordered. "Go to your room!" Crying and letting out high-pitched squeaks, the teenager covered her eyes and ran up the stairs.

It was so devastating. How could her mom be so mad at her? How could she hate this? It was an act of expression. Besides, her hair was red velvet; the color of their special desert. _I'm sorry, Mommy, _Cat cried in her mind, her face pressed into her pillow; staining it with tears. _I didn't mean to hurt you. Oh, I hate myself._ Feeling her heart sink inside her, the girl curled up on her bed, buried under an ocean of sheets, and rolled the pillow tightly around her face. _I feel so horrible. I was wrong to have ever done this._

After many agonizing hours, night fell over Los Angeles. The stars shined on the surface of the ocean, and the tears shined on Cat's red cheeks. Finally, the girl managed to slip into dreams; she was laying under a mushroom in an area that looked like the beach, trying hide her tears from the others. She was so ashamed of herself, so upset with everything she'd done. "Kitty," a familiar, calm voice said. "Kitty Cat." Suddenly, Cat woke up, and saw her mom standing by her bed.

"Hi, Mom," the red-haired girl greeted, still groggy.

"Hi," Danielle replied, sitting down beside her daughter. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," Cat answered. "...Unless you want to yell at me more."

"No, honey," Danielle replied, putting her arm around Cat. "I came to say I'm sorry...I had no right to yell at you like that. You didn't mean to upset me."

"That's okay," Cat replied. "I'll dye it back right now." The teenager got up, and started to head for the bathroom.

"No, Cat," Danielle said, gently grabbing her daughter's arm. "You worked hard on your hair, and you should be proud of it."

"Then why'd you get mad about it?" the girl asked, growing confused.

"Because...I was afraid," Danielle began.

"Afraid of what?" Cat asked, her eyes becoming compassionate.

"Afraid of what other people would think of you," Cat's mother answered. "People don't tend to see girls with red hair as normal. But it shouldn't matter what other people think. You're beautiful, and anyone who can't see that is at a huge loss."

"Thanks, Mommy," Cat happily replied, giving her mom a big hug. "It's really fun expressing myself. You know, I chose red velvet because of our special desert."

"I had a feeling," Danielle said, her voice warm. "That's one of the things I couldn't see at first...You're an amazing girl, Catarina."

"So are you, Mommy," Cat replied, her eyes closed. "...Can I share another idea with you?"

"Sure thing, angel," Danielle permitted. "Anything for you."

"Some people at school were teasing me about my hair," Cat said, her voice mellow. "I think they think I'm stupid."

"Honey, don't let other people bother you," Cat's mother comforted her.

"I'd really like to prove them wrong, though," the girl replied. "I think I have an idea..."

_Friday. December 9th_

Walking with her usual confidence, the red-haired girl entered the principal's office. "Excuse me," Cat said. "I heard the drama department needed an idea for a new project."

"Yes," the man answered. "Do you have an idea?"

"Well, yes," Cat replied. "Could I maybe do something kind of...unusual, though?"

Later that day, the entire school met in the auditorium. No one knew why they were called together.

"What do you think this is?" Andre' asked, turning to Tori.

"No idea," Tori humbly answered. "Hey, where's Cat?"

"Haven't seen her," Katrina answered.

"Excuse me," announced the school's ballet instructor, Ms. Fine. "Presenting, in her debut as a director, Catarina Valentine's "Moonlight Dreams."

As the room filled with casual applause, Tori, Andre', Robbie and Rex, and Trina exchanged confused glances at one another. Suddenly, the large red curtains parted on the stage, revealing two sets of female ballerinas clad in red velvet-colored tutus, and standing in horizontal rows of five. Behind them was a long strip of rice paper made to resemble a crimson and orange sun set. The girls all had their heads down, and their left arms curved into the air gracefully. Cat walked to center stage, clad in a long pink dress that gently stroked across the floor. Raising her hands, the girl instructed her dancers to begin their routine; they pulled apart, forming a circle. Extending their arms until their arms met in the center, the girls pulled themselves back, their heads dropping behind them. Shooting their arms back behind their heads, the ballerinas began spinning, forming a figure eight, then separated their legs, coming down in splits.

"La...la..." Cat gently vocalized. Responding to that, the dancers rose to their feet, and joined hands, their eyes closed. Gently putting their right arms outward, the girl gently dropped down their hands down, their left arms raising up behind them. Shooting their heads down to the left, the girls lifted their right hands into the air, then quickly brought them down as they pulled up their left arms. A new background sheet dropped down, showing a black and blue-hued night scape, and blue lights weakly shined down on the stage. With that, the girls froze in place, staring down at the floor.

Once the curtains closed, the auditorium roared with applause, with standing ovations from Tori, Andre' Jade, Katrina, and Robbie. Cat took a bow, feeling the shock she'd caused in the doubting public's minds. She was established; proven. It felt amazing, not that she needed it; she knew how special she was.

"Way to go, Cat!" Tori and Jade found themselves shouting harmonically. The two then looked at one another, then looked away.

"Wow," Andre' whispered, taken back.

Katrina just kept silent, clapping along with the others.

"More!" Rex screamed. "More!"

"Thank you," Cat yelled out, her red hair shining over her eyes as she took another bow. _Thanks, Mommy._


	10. Zoey 101: Picture Day

**This might seem like fluff, but you really need to look closely at it. Look at it on a deeper level.**

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Ten: Picture Day

_Zoey 101_

_December 10th. Saturday, 2011. 6:30 A.M._

"Nicole...Nicole," Dana whispered, gently shaking the girl's shoulder. The sky was still dark, stained with the crimson and yellow hues of the sunrise.

"What?" Nicole groaned, still half asleep.

"...Can I borrow your hairspray?" the dark-and-curly-haired girl asked, her voice sounding somewhat nervous.

"What?" Nicole moaned, her eyes tightly closed. "Yeah, sure." The brunette rolled onto her side.

"What's going on?" Zoey asked, sitting up in her bed. Her eyes were squinted, still adjusting to the light of the morning.

"Nothing," Dana replied, keeping her usual cool.

"She wanted to borrow my hairspray," Nicole answered, her eyes closed. "What for, Dana?"

"It's nothing," Dana snapped. "My hair's just weird today. What's the big deal?"

"You never cared about your hair before," Zoey replied. "Why's today so important?"

"Would you just get off my back," Dana shot back, growing defensive. "Gosh!" The girl grabbed a white spray bottle off the counter, and stormed off to the bathroom.

"What's her problem?" Zoey asked once the door was slammed shut.

"I don't know," Nicole answered. "She's never this moody. Oh, I hope she didn't take the bottle off the counter by the door."

"Why?" Zoey asked, checking her digital clock.

"That's spray-on red dye," Nicole answered, rolling back onto her side, not knowing what was actually going on around her.

Suddenly, a loud, high-pitched scream tore through the walls of the bathroom, causing Zoey and Nicole to freeze, their eyes wide open. "I think she grabbed the wrong can," Zoey declared, realizing the horrible consequences of what just happened.

Dana stomped into the room, her long, curly hair now a light crimson color, and her face locked in a tight scowl that sent a chill down Nicole's spine. "T-that's a good look for you," the brunette weakly said, trying to calm her roommate's fury.

Letting in a vicious, trembling breath, the red-haired girl clenched her fists, her entire body shaking. Then, she dropped down on her bed, and covered her eyes.

"Dana?" Zoey asked, growing concerned. "Are you...crying?"

"No," Dana lied, her voice muffled by her hands. "Leave me alone."

"I've never seen her cry," Nicole whispered to her blond friend. "Something's wrong."

Zoey walked up to Dana's bed, sat down beside her, and put her arm around her. "Dana, it's okay," she said, her voice gentle. "We can wash that red out. It's not a big deal."

"First of all..." Dana began, her voice shaking. "Get off of me" Zoey took her hand off the red-haired girl. "...Second...It's not just my hair. Monday's picture day, and I've never had a good class picture before. I thought this year would be different."

"Since when do you care about that kind of stuff?" Nicole asked, getting out of bed, and walking over to the girls.

"Look, just...leave me alone," Dana replied, standing up.

"Dana, why does this matter so much to you?" Zoey asked, sympathy in her voice.

"It doesn't matter," Dana shot back. "Do you know how stupid I looked? It took me years to fix my reputation."

"Were they that bad?" Nicole asked.

"Look," Dana replied, grabbing an old album from out of her cabinet. The girl opened the book, and leafed through the pictures in front of Zoey and Nicole. The pictures were anyone's nightmare; frizzy hair, coke-bottle glasses on sideways across the face, showing too much of her teeth when open-mouth smiling, a pink, baggy sweater with a unicorn on it...for the eighth grade picture, zits, bad ponytails, pigtails, and finally, blurred makeup and red eye.

"Uww," the blond and brunette declared, proven wrong.

"...Hey, we can help you with your picture," Nicole declared, standing up. "I'm great with hair."

"And I can probably help with your outfit," Zoey added, eager to help. "What do you say?"

Dana sat still for a second, debating the option she'd been given. "You promise you won't make me look stupid?" she replied, accepting her friends' offer.

"...We promise," Nicole answered, a big smile forming on her face. The girl then wrapped her hands around Dana.

"Get off me," the red-haired girl snarled. "...Now." Quickly, the brunette took her hands off Dana, and sat down in a chair.

Zoey stood up, and looked over the redhead; Taking in every detail of her appearance.

"What?" Dana asked, her voice growing defensive as her confusion grew.

"...We have a lot of work ahead of us," Zoey replied, looking over at the brunette. "Ready, Nicole?"

"Let's do it," Nicole answered. The girl walked over to Dana, and fluffed out her red hair at the sides. Dana sat still, a weirded-out look on her face. "Mmm...first things first. Let's wash this red out." The brunette pulled her friend up, and walked her to the bathroom. "Come on."

Once in the bathroom, Nicole put Dana's head in a sink. The girl then slid in a chair from the hallway underneath her friend. "Close your eyes," she said, her voice gentle. Turning on some warm water, the petite brunette gently but firmly ran her hands through Dana's hair, watching the red imperfections run out of each lock. "Almost got it...Just a little bit longer."

Keeping her eyes closed, spitting out the liquid that went into her mouth, the bad girl felt her face grow warmer under the water. Not wearing any makeup, having it run wasn't a concern. This was so unusual; the beauty parlor treatment.

"Okay, sit up," Nicole instructed, her voice quiet. Dana sat up in her chair, and looked at herself in the mirror for a second. She didn't look much like herself right now. "Lemme just comb this out." Nicole ran a long, pink comb through her roommate's hair, bringing it down straight. "O...-kay...how do you like that?"

Gazing at herself, Dana realized something that disturbed her; "I look like you," she exclaimed, obviously growing angry.

"Is that a problem?" asked the petit brunette.

"Change it!" Dana snapped, starting to freak out.

"Alright," Nicole quickly replied. "Relax." The girl then pulled out a hair-drier, and began blowing it into Dana's hair.

After a few minutes, the dark-haired girl opened her eyes, and was disgusted; her hair was now practically an Afro. "Nicole!" she screamed, growing furious.

The girl began furiously combing out her roommate's hair, terrified of what would happen to her if she couldn't make it right. _I hate this so much, _Dana thought to herself, looking at her image being altered before her very eyes.

"Close your eyes," Nicole said a little later. Dana complied, then opened her eyes after about four minutes to find her long, shining, dark-brown hair parted down the middle and divided into two pigtails.

"You are so dead," Dana snarled, feeling her neck grow burning hot.

"Sorry," Nicole giggled, taking the small pink orbs out of the girl's hair. "Okay, I have a great idea." The brunette began to comb through Dana's hair dramatically.

"Ow," Dana shrieked, feeling her roots being pulled.

"Just hold still," the girl replied, not stopping for a second. After a few minutes, Dana looked at her new hairstyle; it was straight down the left side (though it looked like the right in the mirror), and was flared out in a sassy style on her right. All of her curls were gone, and she looked more mature.

"Wow," Dana exclaimed, breath-taken by her astounding new look. "...Thanks, Nicole." Defeat hurt a little bit.

"Any time," the brunette replied. "Zoey, you're up!"

The blond entered the room as Nicole exited, and was holding several different outfits in her hands. "Wow," Zoey said. "Nicole did a good job. Ready for your new style?"

"I guess," Dana answered, using her normal, somewhat stubborn tone.

After changing into a long towel, Dana watched as Zoey held up different colored shirts, blouses, and skirts up to her; most of which were pink or other girly colors and styles.

"Uw, this one's pretty," Zoey finally said, looking at a soft, royal blue blouse with lace around the neck line and its elbow-length sleeves. "What do you think, the pink jeans or the skirt?" The blond held up an aqua-colored skirt that was divided into sections.

"I don't wear skirts," Dana replied, her voice cold.

"We'll go with the jeans then," Zoey replied, her voice still up-beat. "Here you go. I'll let you change."

The blond left the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Walking over to Nicole, Zoey whispered something in her ear. The brunette nodded in agreement.

After dawning her new outfit, looking at her new hair-do, Dana started looking herself over critically. She looked pretty, sweet, and very put together. _So this is what it feels like to be one of the Pretty Girls, _she thought, turning to her sides to look at her new self. _I guess I can live with this. I look...nice._

"Hey Dana," Zoey called in from the hallway. "We have some new perfumes for you to try."

"We also have some blush, mascara, and foundation if you want," Nicole added. "You're gonna be so pretty."

Dana listened to what she was being told; To every word. "Sounds great," she called back, a smile on her face and her voice upbeat. "Let's see it."

After about ten minutes of brushing, patting with sponges, and applying, the long-haired girl opened her eyes, which were now colored an alluring purple. Her eye lashes were longer and curled towards their ends. Bright pink coated her naturally soft lips, and her cheeks were hued red. "Wow," Dana said, taking in her new appearance.

"I know," Nicole happily replied, holding onto her friend's shoulders. "We did a great job on her, huh, Zoey?"

"Yeah we did," Zoey excitedly agreed. "She doesn't even look like herself. Wow...how's it feel being a beauty queen, Dana?"

"...Beauty queen?" Dana replied, shaking herself out of a brief daze with a smile on her covered face.

"Yeah," Nicole replied. "You're pretty. Just like one of the girls in a magazine. It'll be hard to keep up this look, but I think you can do it."

"Wait..." Dana said, looking away from the mirror. "Wasn't I pretty before?"

"Uw, let's use some glitter on her cheeks," Nicole suggested, looking at Zoey with a smile.

"Wait a minute," Dana replied, standing up. "What'd you mean? Didn't I look pretty before all of this?"

"Well, I don't know," Zoey answered. "Why'd you want all this if you thought you looked okay?"

"...I...I didn't think I looked..." Dana stuttered, her purple eye lashes repeatedly batting.

"Good enough?" Nicole asked.

"Yeah," Dana answered. "...Good enough for the other kids..." Thinking about what she just said, the girl looked down at herself; it wasn't her. _Oh man, _she thought to herself. _I'm like some painted-up doll. _"...I have to go." The girl ran out of the room, her new high heels clanging on the floor.

Come Monday, everyone was lined up for their picture to be taken. Chase was checking his hair spontaneously in a mirror on the wall. Sonny looked gorgeous, of course, and didn't even check. Emily was brushing out her light brown hair. Quinn was holding up two compacts, checking only the back of her hair, which was done in complex braids.

Zoey was dressed in a blue top that looked like a little-girl dress with her hair down and curled around the bottom. She was wearing very little makeup, and had her best earrings on. Nicole had her brown locks pulled back flat into a ponytail. With the help of a Bump-It, her hair was bigger than usual on the crown.

"Have you seen Dana?" Zoey asked.

"Not since she ran out on Saturday," Nicole answered. "I'm worried about her."

Meanwhile, Dana was standing in front of a mirror in the girl's room. Her hair was in a new, sassy, un-curled style, her face gently glossed over with makeup, and her clothes girlier than ever before. _Should I go with this? _she asked herself. "...I'm a beauty queen," she said, not knowing how to take herself. "I look pretty...now." After a second of silence, Dana turned on the sink, and cold water gushed out. Grabbing her hair in the back, the girl thrust it in front of her face, and dove her head into the water. Her makeup running violently and her hair soaked, returning somewhat to its natural curled form, Dana looked at herself; her real self.

"Next up is Dana Cruz," declared the photographer. "...Where is Ms. Cruz?"

Zoey and Nicole looked at one another, growing nervous.

"Right here," Dana answered, unenthusiastically as she walked forward. Her girly, pink blouse partially covered by a black jacket and a loose black tie that dangled to one side, and her hair back to normal, the girl sat down on the chair, no makeup masking her face. "Cheese." With that, the camera flashed, and took the picture.

"You look awesome, Dana," Sonny said as she stood next to the girl, Nicole, and Zoey.

"Back at'cha," Dana confidently replied. She turned to her roommates. "...How long did you plan it?"

"Plan what?" Zoey asked, trying to hold back a smile.

"All that beauty queen stuff," Dana answered. "Once I got my head straightened out, it all seemed so obvious."

"About half way through it," Nicole answered. "It was Zoey's idea."

"Guilty," Zoey happily confessed, raising her hand.

"Thanks, I guess," Dana replied, her tone less grave than usual. "I was being stupid. Who cares about school pictures?"

"Are you sure?" Nicole jokingly added. "Cuz I'd really like to give you another makeover."

"Don't count on it," Dana answered, back to her normal tone. The girl walked away from the others.

"What's up with her?" Sonny asked.

"...Just being Dana," Zoey answered. "I don't think we'd have it any other way."

Later that night, Sonny, Quinn, Nicole, and Zoey were sitting in The Lounge, watching James Cameron's Titanic.

"I love this movie," Nicole exclaimed, watching the elderly Rose lay in her bed next to all the photos; all the memories of things she and Jak planned to do together.

"This part's really sad," Sonny said, feeling her eyes fill with tears.

"Hey guys," Dana said, sitting down on the couch.

"Sup, Dana?" Zoey replied.

"I just wanted to say...I really appreciate what you guys did for me," the curly-haired girl said. "It means a lot to me."

"Whatter friends for?" Nicole replied. "I'm just glad you see _yourself_ as beautiful."

"What exactly did you guys do, anyway?" Sonny asked, growing confused.

"Just ask Nicole," Zoey replied. "She'll show you."

The three girls chuckled. Sonny just sat there, being out of the loop. Finally, she just forgot all about it, and enjoyed her friends' company.


	11. Victorious: Jade Hush

Our Lives, Victorious

Chapter Eleven: Jade...Hush

_Victorious_

_Hush little baby, don't say a word...Daddy's gonna buy you a mocking bird. If that mocking bird won't sing, Daddy's gonna buy you a diamond ring... If that diamond ring turns brass, Daddy's gonna buy you a looking glass. _Darkness caressed Jade's body as she lay on nothingness. Her eyes closed, she felt her hair gently float and cascade in the air. Consciousness meant nothing. Rationality was useless. This had to be eternal.

"It's okay, baby," said a familiar voiced iced over with distance...horrid space between the two.

"Daddy," whispered a young Jade West, who was freezing and scared in a storm of shadows that violently blew her hair. But he never answered. _Daddy's gone._

Suddenly, Jade opened her eyes, and the vision was shattered. Sitting up in her bed, inside her dark room, the girl's head dropped, and she started crying.

_December 12th. Tuesday, 2011. 6:15 A.M._

Jade walked down the hallway on the third floor of her house. Her eyes were surrounded by dark bags, and her hair was tasseled out of shape. A weight held down her thin body, and her mind was fuzzy.

"Hi, Jade," greeted Eva, Jade's ten-year-old sister, whose hair was as dark as her sister's. Unlike Jade, though, Eva's face reflected a deep essence of peace and calmness.

"Hi," Jade grumbled, walking past the girl.

Feeling the warm waters spray down on her from the nozzle, Jade ran her hands down her long, dark hair. The streaks Cat added shined. Letting out a stress-laced breath, Jade looked out past the pink, transparent curtains, and at the mirror in front of her. Not able to see her reflection through the fog, the girl looked down at herself, seeing the water fall down her arms. Water splattered on the floor, letting each droplet shatter on itself. After about ten minutes, the girl wrapped herself in a towel and walked back into her room.

Meanwhile, Eva sat on her bed, listening to the music her sister started to play as she put on her dark, Gothic makeup. _She sits in her corner... Singing herself to sleep. Wrapped in all of the promises that no one seems to keep._

At Hollywood Arts, everyone was in their usual good moods; girls in pink tutus were prancing around the hall, singers were warming up their vocals, and so on. Jade walked alone, her eyes locked in a scowl as she stared at the floor. Her dark hair gently waved with every angry step she took.

"Hi, Jade!" Cat excitedly greeted, skipping over to her.

"Hey, Cat," Jade replied, obviously down. "You look happy."

"Thanks," the red-haired girl replied, her tone upbeat and perky as usual. "How's your morning been?"

"Same as always," Jade answered, opening her locker. "You?"

"It was nice," Cat answered. "I had that dream again last night. You know, where I'm living in the country and my pet cats are playing with yarn?"

"Attention, students!" the principal called out, interrupting the girls. "We have a new pupil arriving today. His name is Beck Oliver. Do your best to make him feel welcome."

"Wow," Tori said, somewhat eager as she and Trina walked over to Jade and Cat. "Another new kid."

"I know, this is nice," Catarina replied, smiling. "I hope he's sweet."

"I have to get going," Jade said, closing her locker.

"Jade, wait a minute," Cat said, gently grabbing her friend's arm. "Don't you wanna hang out some more?"

"Maybe I should go," Tori said, feeling guilty.

"Maybe," Jade coldly replied, not looking back.

"Jade," Cat whined, upset by her friend's rudeness.

"Don't sweat it," Katrina said, her tone lacking in emotion. "She'll cool down."

"She's just been so depressed lately," Cat added, growing sad.

"It's probably my fault," the tall brunette replied. "Maybe I should start staying away from her."

"No, Tori," Cat pleaded. "She just needs to get to know you. I'm sorry she's being so mean, though."

"It's fine," Tori comforted her friend. "It's not your fault."

Jade walked towards the girl's bathroom, her dark eye liner reflecting the glare of the fluorescent lights above her. A dull anger welled up inside her chest. _That stupid little goody-goodly little tramp, _she snarled in her mind. _How long does it take for her to get that I hate her?_ Suddenly, the girl found herself smacking into another student, knocking the two onto the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the other teenager apologized, gathering his books.

"What the heck were you..." Jade began to say, furious. However, when she looked up, she felt her emotions shift.

"Um, my name's Beck," the boy said, nervous. "Sorry about that. I'm really kind of preoccupied." His hair was longer but well-kept and shining. Clad in casual but tasteful clothing, it was easy to determine the new boy was well-built and modest about it. Above all, he seemed really nice and genuine. How, though?

"Oh, it's fine," Jade replied, keeping her cool and emotionally-low tone as she handed Beck one of his books off the floor. "Welcome to Hollywood Arts."

"Thanks," Beck responded. As he tried to compose himself, the boy saw Jade leave out of the corner of his eye, and stood still, taken back.

_What was that? _the girl asked herself, feeling angry. _I looked like an idiot. Why am I acting like this around some stupid new guy?_ Furious, Jade kept walking, starting to mentally attack Beck.

Later that day, Tori was sitting at her desk, sketching some pictures of someone who looked like Spider-Man. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Mr. Sikowitz and Trina. "You'll be working with your sister," the man said, turning to Tori's older sister. Katrina groaned, dropping her shoulders.

"What?" Tori asked, not having the slightest idea of what was going on.

Jade walked into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her. Knowing she was alone, the girl lifted up her shirt, and looked over the tattoos on her body. Slowly, she rose her right arm, and stroked the one in the center of her breasts: a complex image with wings dropped down. Her throat beginning to ache, Jade felt a tear slide down her cheek.

"Jade?" Cat called, sounding concerned. "Jade, are you in there?"

Quickly drying her tears, the girl threw on her shirt and managed to straighten out her voice to say, "Yeah. What's up?"

"Are you okay?" the red-haired girl asked. "You've been really moody today."

"I'm fine," Jade lied, wiping her running nose. "Thanks, though." _Why am I still thinking about that new guy? What is it with me? _she asked herself. Her anger burning like boiling water in the back of her neck, the girl clenched her fists until her palms hurt. _I hate this! Why can't I get over him? I just met him!_

Come study hall, Tori and Trina were sitting at a desk, contemplating their assignment. "I was gonna do a story based on my life," Katrina informed her sister.

"What about it?" Tori asked, trying to be supportive.

"How about the time I wowed my second grade class by singing _Ray of Light_?" Trina proudly suggested, remembering her glory days as a child.

"That could work," Tori replied, optimistic. "Now how do we turn that into a fictional short story?"

"No, never mind," the older brunette quickly shot back, her excitement showing in her voice. "What about the time I gave you your first hair cut?"

"You did that when I was three, and you hacked my hair into pieces," Tori answered, somewhat angered. "Mom grounded you for two weeks and I had to wear that stupid hat for a year."

"Oh yeah," Trina replied, growing down. "Do you have any ideas?"

"How about one of our less traumatic childhood stories?" Tori suggested. "Like when I scraped my knee, and you gave me the last of your Halloween candy to help me feel better?"

"Oh yeah," Katrina responded, seeming touched and taken back. "I like that idea. Okay, let's change the names."

"Okay," Tori said with a smile. "...Hey, you know, that was one of the nicest things you ever did for me."

Trina continued writing for a second. "Yeah, well," she said, somewhat distracted. "I didn't wanna get fat."

"Sure," Tori pretended to believe, her smile making her body grow warm. _I love you, big sis, _the girl thought.

That night, Jade lay in her bed, tossing and turning violently. Her forehead glossed over with sweat, the girl clenched her sheets with her long nails, a look of distress on her clear face. Jade's long, dark locks of hair were scattered on her pillow like waves on the shore of a beach. _This isn't like me...Beck...Beck Oliver. _Shadows clouded around her mind, clouding the images her subconscious projected before her. Clad in a long, flowing black dress hued in a ghostly blue, the teenager walked forward, her long hair blowing behind her in a breeze that never existed. It was cold, lonely. Maybe Beck was there...Maybe he wasn't. But she wanted him to be.

"Jade," a familiar, warm voice gently echoed. "Jade...Can I talk to you?" Beck sat down next to the girl in a light valley filled with tall blades of soft grass and flowers blowing gently in a non-existent wind.

This was so new. So not Jade, but she didn't really care right now. This place was new, warm, comforting. _I could be here forever...Bathing in this sweet light...being with Beck._ Shooting up, Jade found herself back to reality. "What the...?" she gasped, her breath heavy. Pushing a strand of pink hair out of her face, Jade stared into the darkness. "Whoa..." _Beck..._

"Jade?" asked Eva, her voice quiet as she lightly knocked on her sister's door. "Jade, are you okay?"

"...I'm fine," Jade answered, distraught. The world was different, if only for this one night. _I feel like one of those prissy girls I used to hate, _the girl thought. Laying back down in her bed, Jade accepted her defeat.

_December 13th. Wednesday._

Walking through the hallway, feeling strangely light in spirit, Jade looked around for Cat. If anyone would get how she was feeling, it would be her. However, another person greeted her...

"Sorry," Beck said. "Um, Jade, is it?"

"Yeah," Jade replied, feeling her heart gently pound. "...Hey,...are you gonna need someone to show you around the school?"

"...Yeah, please," Beck answered, feeling his heart pound. "Thanks." He was Jade's.

With a smile, Jade took the boy's hand, and walked him down the hallway. At that moment, they felt a fire raging between their hearts, though they'd never admit it.


End file.
